


Things We Lost in the Fire

by Vesperchan



Category: Naruto
Genre: Amputee, BAMF Sakura, Cute Kids, Dogs, F/M, Fix It Fic, Found Family, Gen, Jaded adults, Ninken | Ninja Dogs, Survivors, Trauma, agebent Sakura, cause some of this stuff is messed up, character death in flashbacks, dogs are good bois, lets fix him, like Danzo, sakura sensei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-04-26 00:36:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 72,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14390436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vesperchan/pseuds/Vesperchan
Summary: Years later, living alone in the woods with half a dozen dogs, questionable reading material, and crippling non-attachment issues, Sakura realizes she has turned into her teacher. Agebent Sakura Sensei





	1. Chapter 1

_THINGS WE LOST TO THE FIRE  Chapter 1_

**Things we lost to the flame**  
Things we'll never see again  
All that we've amassed  
Sits before us, shattered into ash

* * *

_Years later, living alone in the woods with half a dozen dogs, questionable reading material, and crippling attachment issues, Sakura realizes she turned into her teacher. Agebent Sakura Sensei_

* * *

The dogs need to be walked early, first thing in the morning, and it's the only reason she gets out of bed. They can come and go as they wish, but won't run themselves out unless she goes with them and makes the laps like one of them. They're excited for her and their time together, and Sakura's just happy to be wanted, so she rises early every morning without fail to race them through the woods and back again.

People don't come out so far that they can visit her, and the few who are actually purposeful about it don't stay long, so it's always disorienting to look up when the dogs start barking to see someone coming down the gravel to the front door.

Sakura looked up and saw further back, hiding behind a pair of trees, two other boys crouch low and watch the third figure approach the house. Both boys were as pale as snow with dark hair, but their bones were all wrong to make them related. The third boy was brighter with a tan that made his blue eyes pop and his blond hair shimmer in the broken sunlight.

'Ring the witch's bell and run and you'll be brave.'

Sakura wasn't a fool. She knew the reputation her house had. Before she ever moved into it, the house had belonged to a great aunt or some old, crabby relative that was ugly and mean enough to spur on an urban legend about a witch in the woods. It didn't matter that for the past year Sakura had been living in the cabin. Legends needed longer to die out than that.

The boy drew close but Sakura raised a hand to her dogs and they all held their voices back, some whining about it more than others.

"Hush," she whispered to them while keeping her hand up in the signal for quiet.

It was dark inside and she was far back in the hallway. He wouldn't see her but she could make out his figure well enough as he drew even closer. She could see him hesitating.

" _Sasuke_ ," the blond boy whined, sounding plenty afraid.

"Do it, moron!" another boy hissed out, too loud to be a whisper. Sakura guessed this was the boy called Sasuke. "Or I'm not playing with you again."

"It's not fair. You already play with Sai."

"Shut up and just ring it or you're a baby. I don't want to hang out with a baby. I'll catch it."

The blond boy made another sound of dissatisfaction and Sakura thought she heard him flap his arms or stomp his feet. "Did you make Sai do it too?"

"Idiot, of course. Everyone has to do it. Just shut up and quit stalling or else I'll go home without you."

There was silence and then in a moment of courage the boy drew close enough to reach the door. Sakura watched as his hand went for the bell and pushed at the button quickly. There was a cloud of dust as the sound chimed out throughout the house and Sakura dropped her arm, allowing her dogs to do as they pleased. The bell drove them nuts and they howled at it, barking and carrying on loud enough for the kids outside to hear.

Sakura stood up and crossed the hallway to the windows alongside the main door and pulled back the sheer curtains to look out and see a trio of boys, maybe no older than seven or eight, running back up her gravel like it was the devil on their heels. For all they knew, maybe he was and it was only the hounds of hell they could hear.

"I hope you're all happy," Sakura loudly declared to her house full of dogs. "Now there are going to be that many more rumors about this place."

The shaggy gray dog named Mop bumped at her legs and whined, begging for attention she readily gave. Sakura knelt down to run her nails through his fun and scratch behind his ears where he was most inclined.

Mop ducked his head to let her hands better reach the best parts and when she was done he pulled his head back so he could lick at her. When she knelt he was almost taller than she was and she nearly fell backwards from his attentions.

"Enough of that," she chastised with half a heart.

After standing she beckoned him and the others into a different room of the house where she was working on rebricking the fireplace. They were good enough about being lazy around her while she worked which was good. There were enough things wrong with the old house that needed fixing and most things didn't get done until she got off her butt to buy supplies.

One of the end tables had been knocked over in the earlier panic and Sakura saw a photo in a frame laying face down. She clicked her tongue in disapproval before bending down to pick it up and turn it over.

Kakashi started back up at her, making bunny ears behind her smaller, younger head. On either side of him were his long passed teammates Rin and Obito. Sakura remembered taking the photo but very little else from those early years. It was back before Kakashi lost his whole squad and turned into a emotionally deficient soldier in the Hokage's private army.

In the photo Sakura had been maybe no older than any of the boys who played ding dong ditch on her earlier, and it was strange to think about how much Konohagakure had changed since peace times settled in.

She had been rushed through the academy and promoted to early graduation to fill in the empty slots left behind by teenage soldiers like Rin and Obito. None of them had had childhoods, but at least Sakura lived long enough to see her adult years.

Sakura set the photo down alongside the newer frame that held the photo of her with her first, last, and only squad. Kakashi was back in the photo, standing over her and making bunny ears once more, but instead of being flanked by his teammates, Sakura was flanked by hers. Under Kakashi's supervision, she and her two teammates helped bring her village hidden in the leaves through another bloody war that promised to hold peace longer than the last one.

In the photo Tenzō hung on her shoulder and Hana Inuzuka grinned broadly over at the two of them from Sakura's opposite side. None of them looked like they knew what they were getting into. They were all just too damn happy to be adults, to make money, to earn their own keep, and wear a shiny silver headband that made some people respect them a little more.

That felt like forever ago. Respect from total strangers was the last thing she got up out of bed to worry about in the dark hours of the morning.

Speaking of bed, Sakura remembered that one of the dog beds was still a spilling mess of fluff trailing through the halls. She had been meaning to patch it up and restuff the bed, but constantly caught herself in a new distraction or side project. The house had too many of them for her, and that was fine since it kept her busy.

A white, long haired Borzoi named Souta watched her from the hallway, waiting for her to reach him and run her fingers down his spine. He turned to follow her when she passed and stopped only when she bent down to pick up the stuffing he had dragged out into the hallway. Sakura heard his whine and knew he felt guilt for his actions, even though she hadn't said anything about the mess.

"It's okay, this will be fixed," she said out loud, even though Souta wasn't a summon and couldn't understand her human speech so well. He still understood, just in a different way.

"He's just going to tear it up again, why bother?"

Sakura huffed at Dango, a smart looking Doberman Pinscher with a wide collar studded with chakra pills. He wasn't wearing the medical vest with first aid supplies, but it was easy enough to imagine him in uniform again, running alongside her as a medic dog. He was the only one of her pack who had been summoned and the only one who could speak, but that didn't mean he was the only one with intelligence.

"It needs to be fixed. You really okay with Souta sleeping on the cold floor?"

"He wouldn't sleep on the cold floor, he'd just crawl into bed with you again, like the others do every night," the Doberman Pinscher huffed.

"You're just annoyed because you don't join them, Dango chan," she teased, knowing he hated being called out almost as much as he hated her name for him.

"You spoil them too much," Dango snapped before turning away and taking a few steps before sitting down and falling the rest of the way into a curl on the floor, ears laid flat.

Sakura went back to gathering the stuffing and found the torn up bed. There was extra stuffing in the storage closet she had pulled out earlier for this exact reason. Souta stayed close to her as she stuffed the bed back up until it was firm and full. A few minutes later she was sewing up the tear with a simple needle and thread. It looked horrible and crooked, but it was a tight stitch that wouldn't leak anymore.

"Promise not to tear this bed up in a nervous fit?" Sakura cooed, reaching out to scratch her dog behind his ears when he went in to lick her face. It made her hum in appreciation, but she didn't laugh anymore.

With the bed stuffed and the sun sinking, Sakura fed her dogs their dinner and set to making up something for herself when a heavy weight settled on the branch outside her kitchen window. It flared with chakra making her stomach clench, but Sakura still looked up and slid open the pane to allow the monkey in. The red faced primate leapt in silently and discarded something black and long onto the table before poofing out of existence like the rest of the old man's summons.

"You can't ignore this one," Dango growled in agitation as he read the characters on the outside of the scroll. "It's from the Hokage."

"I figured that much with the monkey summon. Ugh, this is going to suck if it's what I think it is," Sakura answered, reaching for the scroll and hooking her thumb under the lip. It came open easily, reading her chakra and bleeding the characters of its message back onto the paper.

Chainsaw, a brown and white Jack Russell Terrier that liked to run underneath Mop barked at her before pawing at her leg. She reached back with her foot to play with his paws and he nipped at her toes, doing nothing to hurt her intentionally. Chainsaw's play was a little rough like that. Seconds later, the smallest of her dogs went from snapping at her toes to leaping up onto the counter to sniff at the opened scroll.

"Summons for an audience to discuss conditions of my retirement, wonderful. That sounds great."

Chainsaw jumped up to place his paws on her arm, a nonverbal ask to be carried along. When she wore her flack jacket he would often nestle against her chest due to his inability to climb and jump as well as the others. He was a sensor type more than the others and had saved her life more than once.

The last line of the message said attendance was urgent. Not Highly Urgent, but just regular Urgent. He wanted her to come in with the night.

Sakura left the scroll on the counter and slipped into her bedroom to change and don the proper uniform for an attendance with the old hokage; black pants, a black turtleneck, an olive green flack jacket left open enough for Chainsaw to fit. It was mechanical how she dressed.

She heard Dango and Mop at the door and looked back to see both dogs with Souta pacing further back. They all knew she was going out and it wasn't for a simple run or training routine. She was getting dressed up and they were eager to go along with her.

"You might not be allowed inside," she sighed, watching their ears lift in eagness.

"We'll be going into village, that's enough for us. We can keep watch from outside for you, all of us."

Sakura grumbled, but pulled out the silver whistle, thinner than her pinky, and blew into it. The air was sharp and nearly silent, but she could hear it and so could the last member of her pack.

Waffles came down from tree tops on graceful steps even veteran nin would be apt to miss. Hana's puppy present to Sakura was bigger and meaner than the others, but Sakura trusted the ninken wolf-dog more than most humans.

"We're going into the village," Sakura said while stuffing the whistle under her shirt's collar.

Waffles' ears twitched in acknowledgment and she leapt over to flank Sakura's right while Dango took her left. Mop and Souta fell into formation behind her and Chainsaw slipped into her jacket.

The pack moved like an arrow's point down the mountain, fast enough to be a blur, and strong enough to be lethal. Civilization came into view just as the sky started to bleed hues of burning orange. Shop lights were turning on as they touched down on level ground.

Sakura flared her chakra and the sentry guards backed off, recognizing her. Dango's nose was pointed in their direction after a bark from Chainsaw, but the rest of her pack was watching the other sides.

"You don't have to be so tense, it's still our village."

"We may be mongrels but we can remember what happened last time you were here. We'll be at your side the second we sniff out Danzo," Dango said.

Behind him Mop and Souta both growled low. Waffles didn't make a sound, but Sakura could tell the large wolf ninken was just as ready to rip out the council man's throat as her packmates.

Sakura found the Hokage Tower and signaled for Mop and Souta to wait outside. Both settled down in a show of false nonchalance. Dango and Waffles trailed her in and had to stop outside the door to the Hokage office, but they let her take the smallest and most harmless looking ninken in with her. Dango growled at Chainsaw's teasing yip.

"I'm pleased to see you're punctual. At least that's one habit that hasn't rubbed off on you," Sarutobi Hiruzen greeted with a ageless smile.

Sakura pretended it didn't bother her, because he never meant it to, but bowed low with one hand holding Chainsaw in her jacket. "Sandaime sama, you said you wanted to discuss the matter of my retirement."

He frowned at her, but got up from behind his desk and gestured to a small table in the corner already set up for tea. "Indulge me first."

Outside the sun sank lower and Sakura felt the heat of it as it painted the room in different shades of gold. She pretended this didn't make her anxious, but inclined her head dutifully to her elder.

"If you insist."

They sat and he left her to pour the tea for both of them. She could smell it before she saw the pale color pouring into the cups, it was a high quality white tea and her favorite. Chainsaw whined low when he felt her heartbeat spike.

"You're not going to kill me after this, are you?" Sakura asked before their tea could cool. She knew he wanted her to wait, but she couldn't be patient for him anymore.

His calm expression turned sour and his lips pulled down. "That is a poor joke."

Sakura didn't let her own expression change or shift and she didn't apologize. Hiruzen saw this and huffed, looking away and shifting in his seat before addressing her again.

"The incident with Danzo was resolved as a misunderstanding and I have no intention of bringing you any more grief or harm in this life. I summoned you here in hopes of alieving some of the sorrow in your heart."

"With white tea?"

"Impatient as always I see."

"You either get me impatient or tardy, pick one," she quipped back easily. "What am I doing here?"

"Wait for the tea," Hiruzen said, and there was no arguing with his tone. He was the Sandaime and her superior and he wasn't about to let her forget it, no matter how much harmless teasing he let her get away with.

Sakura knew that tone well enough and bit back her words, closing her eyes and counting to 100 before opening them again.

Hiruzen held his tea cup in one hand, supported by the other. His eyes were closed but he lifted the rim to his lips and sipped. She could see the tea settle in his mouth, rolling over his taste buds before being swallowed. His eyes opened and he sighed.

"Ah, now that is an excellent blend. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

As much as she would like not to, Sakura found herself savoring the tea just as well. It was a good blend that made her nolastagic in the best ways.

Sakura left a small amount behind in her cup before placing it back down. "It was delightful."

The room was lit by lights as the sun was a dying pinprick of red on the horizon. Layers of the sky were left in shades of purple and blue and black. More neon signs were turning on outside.

"I'm glad you liked it. It was a gift from one of my chunin from his garden. I'll have to inquire about purchasing some from his wife."

"My retirement, Sandaime sama. Are you going to draw me back into active duty?"

He deflated but didn't chastise her for her eagerness, he couldn't. They've already had their tea and there is no more use in stalling. Her mood wasn't going to get any better and they both knew that.

"Yes, you're too young and no longer recovering. I would like to instigate a gradual return to active duty, not ANBU, but jounin status. We're a bit lacking these days it seems."

"Are you considering me for ANBU  _eventually_?"

He eyed the one gloved hand resting on the edge of his table. "How is your arm?" he asked instead.

Sakura pulled the hand back under the table and out of sigh. With a long black sleeve and a just as black glove, there was no way to see what was underneath.

"If you're concerned about that, I'm able to channel chakra normally and my hand seal speed is back up to what it was before retirement. My pack too, is up to snuff. We're all able bodied."

"ANBU is a bit much for just now, and her ranks are as filled as I need them to be." He held a hand out as if to brace her from standing up and leaning forward too suddenly, even though Sakura hadn't moved. He could still see the tense lines running through her.

"Jonin duty then? Domestic work?"

He winced. "Not exactly what I had in mind. We're actually needing some help at the academy level."

Sakura felt her heart spike again and Chainsaw whined louder than before, pawing at the underside of her jaw in worry.

"You want to make me into a babysitter."

"A sensi isn't a babysitter, and is a role I reserve only for those who I believe have what it takes to build up the next generation into the best it can be. I would not expect you to fit into this role so soon, but maybe in a year or two when the current academy bunch graduates-"

"I refuse."

He blinked, startled by her words and how they cut off his own, so Sakura lowered her head.

"Respectfully, I wholeheartedly refuse. I am not suitable for taking care of minors."

"Academy graduates are not minors, and the graduation age has increased since your time. They're not six year olds."

Sakura felt her lip curl. "They're still kids. Ten-twelve year old brats are still just brats who haven't grown up enough."

"Which is why they need a guardian and teacher who can mentor them through those difficult years into maturity."

Sakura grabbed the fabric of her pants between her fingers until it wrinkled. "You should know better than to ask such a thing of me. You know what I did and what I was. You can't expect me to step back after being bred for death squads and hunter teams and then asked to...work with kids unless you're really rearing them for something like ROOT."

"ROOT has been long disbanded."

"Then why hasn't Torune of the Aburame clan come home?" Sakura didn't care anymore and glared openly. "You're a nostalgic old man if you believe that. Danzo-"

" _Haruno_."

It was a single word, but it was firmly formed and cutting. Sakura flinched and looked down, redirecting her glare to the wood of the table. Her face burned and her jaw was all hard angles, tense like her shoulders.

Across from her Hiruzen sighed and shook his head, staring into the empty bottom of his tea cup. "Your history with Councilman Danzo Shimura is unfortunate, but reprimations have been made and he is still an esteemed councilmember and I am still the Sandaime."

"Am I to become a jounin sensei per your order, Sandaime sama?" she asked cooly, keeping her eyes downcast. There was no edge to her words, but there didn't need to be. Her words were sharp enough on their own, she didn't need to make them biting.

"I'm not going to force you into it. If your heart isn't willing it won't do anyone any good."

"I'm not opposed to coming out of retirement, but there are things I am good at and things I'm not. The Inuzuka clan mentioned being unable to go out on long distance recon for tracking Orochimaru and my pack is-"

"Not as suitable for tracking as you would like to believe. You have a brute force pack and the matter of Orochimaru is being addressed at higher levels than the bulk of the Inuzuka qualify for."

"Wouldn't that be where I could come in?" Sakura asked.

Wordlessly he eyed her arm under the table and she inhaled sharply. His eyes slowly lifted to hers and she refused to look away or lower her gaze anymore. It was true, he was her superior, but there were things in her heart she couldn't settle and one of them was the anger she felt when he thought she couldn't keep up on a squad set to take on Orochimaru.

"There are already people put in place for those sort of things. You do not need to concern yourself with matters so far from home," he answered. "But if you feel you are being wasted in the highlands of Leaf, then I'll speak with some of the recently decommissioned ANBU jounin and see if any of them have need for an able body with your skill set. Would you be willing to take up a post at the hospital by any chance? I know your training with Tsunade was cut short, but it's not too late to learn a thing or two more."

"It's been too long since I've been a medic," she lied. "I'm afraid I'm not up to snuff in that category."

He watched her for a long moment, likely suspecting her words to be far too modest for her true capabilities, but unwilling to force her into anything. Medics were sorted to the rear guard and protected too much for Sakura's pride. If she had any medical talent it would be kept an open secret that stayed off her documentation.

Sakura looked outside and saw the sky a dusky black with traces of blue fading into the folds of color. "I think it is time I take my leave. It is late."

"You have something you need to wake up early for?" the old man joked, sounded more exhausted then he had when she first entered.

Sakura stood and stared down at the Sandaime and hated how she felt a sick sort of vindication for exhausting him. There were a lot of things wrong with the village she saw as his fault but that sort of conviction would never fall on his head for reasons of status and whatnot.

The fact that he chose to forgive assassination attempts on his life, the fact that he chose to forget the experimental death of over sixty children who still cried out for justice, and the facts about how he mishandled the Nine Tails attack all compiled in her heart into a bitter seed that no amount of white tea could wash out. Even the way he failed to handle public opinion in regards to the Uchiha made her stomach roll.

' _I'll help you find that justice, Tenzo_.'

Under her chin she felt a wet tongue lick at her throat and knew it was Chainsaw trying to comfort her. He was the most sensitive to things like her mood or feelings and she appreciated how he kept himself from whining.

"I have training with the pack at sunrise. If you need me you know where to reach me. I look forward to being put on the active service roster, even if it is for jounin." Sakura forced herself to bow to a man she barely respected. "Thank you for the tea."

"It was nice tea."

Sakura didn't raise from the bow but kept her eyes downward, back bent. "Yes, it was."

The Sandaime sighed loudly and grunted at her to rise. "You're dismissed. Don't rush home too early. See if you can find some friends to say hello to. That's not an order, by the way, just a friendly suggestion."

Sakura rose slowly, one hand supporting Chainsaw. She didn't say anything more, but turned on her heel and left the way she came, picking up the members of her pack as she went.

"What did he say to you?" Dango asked, butting his head up against her thigh. He whined when she didn't immediately reply and she reached down to scratch him behind the ears.

Sakura bent down to let Chainsaw out of her jacket and scratch down the length of Dango's neck. "Nothing important. He's looking to transition me out of retirement soon. He wanted me to be a sensei but I told him no way."

"Kids are annoying," Dango agreed.

Sakura was about to say something more but a shouting cut through the quiet before she could.

"A youthful rival appears!"

Sakura ducked on reflex as Guy senpai sailed over her head and landed in the dirt, kicking up a cloud. He turned sharply and flashed a bright grin that was painfully out of place in the middle of the street after dark.

"I see your training has not lessened for your reflexes to still be so youthful. I am impressed my younger rival!" Guy struck a pose, fists fit over his hips in a heroic stance. "Have you come to challenge me at last?"

Dango growled low, more from irritation than anything else. Guy wasn't a threat, but he could be annoying when he wanted to be. The rest of her pack seemed to not care as much as Dango, but that was likely because Guy didn't adress or talk to any of Sakura's summons apart from Dango (who could talk back.)

"Senpai, I didn't know you would be out so late. Isn't it time or you to be in bed?" Sakura calmly stated.

"Nonsense," he boomed. "I shall fight under the light of the moon for the sake of youthful combat. Come, say you will join me."

"I was actually heading home. I just finished my meeting so there wasn't any other reason to stay behind." She reached for Dango's head and scratched him behind the ear. "These guys are tired too and need to get to sleep so they can wake up early tomorrow."

"You are leaving?" Guy asked, exuberance draining out of him. "But you haven't been in the village in months."

That wasn't true, she had been back to buy food and check up on the memorial stone, but she had been careful each time she visited to keep her presence unnoticed. Guy senpai was easy to avoid with the right sort of effort.

"It's late and the sun is already set. Don't you also retire early?" Sakura asked instead.

"But what is a little night when faced with catching up with friends? Iruka was just talking about meeting for late night barbecue with some of the others. Have you heard, they've asked him to be an instructor at the academy? They've all gone out to celebrate."

She blinked, looking away and avoiding his face."I heard they were looking into revitalizing the academy with new instructors. Have they asked you?"

Guy stuck a signature pose. "I am getting my own youthful team next year upon their graduation if all goes according to plan. For now it's domestic missions for me!"

"You too eh," Sakura murmured. She felt a bud of curiosity and hated how terrible she was at resisting temptations that always led to something unpleasant. "Are there many others who have been restricted to the village or put on domestic rotation?"

Guy looked thoughtful for a moment, resting a hand under his chin and folding his arms. "Oh there seems to be plenty like that, but it seems like missions are in that dry season."

His thoughtfulness melted and Sakura thought he would go back to the booming over excited Guy she was most used to, but his expression was instead serious. She remembered in that moment that for as much as a goofball he seemed to be, he was still a respected jonin with unparalleled skill in his chosen speciality. He was not someone she could dismiss.

"Why do you ask?"

She almost forgot he could sound like that.

"I think he has leads he doesn't want us following because they would lead us to Orochimaru." She was careful not to mention the Hokage or name him to keep herself innocent from treacherous slander.

"If he's keeping units out of the Snake's way it's because he doesn't want to risk their lives. Orochimaru isn't someone you can survive with anything less than a S-Class squad, much less apprehend."

It bothered her that there still wasn't a kill on sight order, just one for his apprehension. Orochimaru was too dangerous to let live even in captivity. He was a snake in all its incarnations, and any effort to hold him would results with just another skin shed. He had done it before and he would do it again if they didn't take his head off his shoulders.

"I've seen our death squads. We're not an incapable village."

Guy stared at her, almost sadly. "No, but we are a village at peace. Are you sure you will not meet with your old friends? It would make their night and I think it would do you some good too."

"I'd rather not." Anger made her words tight. He was looking down on her, pitying her.

He stared behind her and then grinned. "Then how about a spar? The training fields haven't been locked up and you look like you'd much rather take off my head then sit down at a table. See if you can keep up with the most beautiful green beast and I'll let you go, youthful student."

"And if you win?" Sakura asked, already weary.

"Dinner with the others!"

Sakura clicked her tongue. "I should have known better."

"You must accept, or I will be forced to pester you for nights and days on end!" His eyes seemed to burn in his eagerness. "I will have you spar or I will do 500 jumping jacks outside your house throughout the night."

The thought made her recoil in horror. Guy was the sort of person to do exactly what he said, and she had been the sad recipient of his training routines. She didn't want Konoha's Green Beast bothering her dogs all through the night.

"Fine, one spar." Sakura relented. "Should I guess it's a taijutsu only bout?"

"We wouldn't want to wake the village with flashy jutsu, would we?"

"We'd wake them with your hollering. Let's do this before it gets too late and people really do turn in for sleep."

From her side Mop whined and Dango huffed a translation. "You shouldn't have to do this. It's not a fair fight. He's the expert."

"Yeah, I'll probably lose, but I think that's fine, if only to see how far I've come." Sakura passed behind Guy into the fenced training field and rolled her arms. "There is only so much you can grow when training with your shadow. This will be good for me."

"Yosh! I am burning up for this!" Guy hollered from across the field. He started to hop in place before falling into his stretches. He sounded giddy.

Sakura started to stretch her own legs out in front of her before sparing Dango a meaningful stare. "I'm pretty sure it's one on one, you guys wait off to the side."

Waffles was already laying down at the edge of the fence on the inside, watching with tired eyes as Chainsaw trotted over, followed by Mop and Souta. Dango was the last to leave and every inch of his body language expressed his dislike of the current situation.

"Till first blood or first yield?" he hollered across the field to her.

She didn't bother saying anything about how they wern't using weapons for the spar, because both of them know well enough how easy it was to draw blood with just your fists.

"First yield and no chakra enhanced strength, check!" Sakura called back.

Guy laughed louder and Dango barked in annoyance at the sound. Sakura fell into position and raised her arms, feeling her shoulders shift and loosen for the speed she would need if she planned on keeping up with Guy.

"Start!"

Both bodies flickered into blurs half forgotten by the partly streetlights. In the dim of the training field it was worthless to try and track with only the eyes, there wasn't enough light and the bodies were too fast. Sakura had to rely on the summation of all her senses to track her opponent when he moved. Darkness gave him just one more advantage.

He came at her with standard form, less personal and more mocking. Sakura didn't let him stay in the standard form for long, catching his uniformed punches easily and countering the jabs they taught every academy student.

She grabbed his elbow and moved it up, diverting the momentum to leave the side of his body under his arm exposed. She reached with her other hand to jab there, maybe break a rib or two, but instead of countering he moved faster than her into her with her knee and she was too close to miss the Strong Fist Style switch.

'Leaf Hurricane!'

Like water mixing into water, his transition was seamless. She couldn't catch where the standard form ended and his signature Strong Fist style started. Instead of cracking his ribs Sakura was sure she had suffered some damage to her own.

The strike pushed her back and her feet dragged dust as she skid to a halt, holding her side and glaring. Guy smirked over at her and then fell into the familiar stance that seemed so open and mocking, one arm extended, palm up, he beckoned.

" _I'll help you find that justice."_

Faster than before, Sakura met him for blows, barely managing to keep up with his own moves. He wasn't holding back anymore and she was bruising because of it, but she didn't care. She was starting to see the 'before' of his attacks. She was starting to see the way his body betrayed him before a dynamic lunge or kick. They had spared enough in the past that she knew his tells, bt it always took a stretch of time before she could make her eyes keep up and see the tells that other ninja refused to believe in.

Strong Fist Style was, after all, the purest form of her own variation, Hard Fist Style. Without her chakra, the impact wasn't as impressive, but the training she had bleed and sweat for wasn't going to betray her. She was avoiding most of his attacks, even if she wasn't able to land a hit or follow through with a decent counter.

He hit low and instead of ducking under him she moved to the side like what anyone else would have, she moved, around the kick to the side which kept her from having to move out of striking position. It was barely any effort on her part to lean in and swing.

She saw it like slow motion, but there was no way for her to make her fist fast enough to catch him. With godlike speed he recovered from the kick she thought he had overextended on, and flipped back out of her reach. She followed through with another wild Haymaker that pulled the rest of her body forward into a spinning roundhouse kick he had to steer clear of.

Even without chakra the field seemed to shake when she brought her heel down, and there was enough dust to cloud her ankles when she moved again.

Guy laughed with unbridled glee as she came with faster swings. She had moved beyond reading his body language, now her brain was processing a pattern to his style and predicting his moves before he even planned them. Based on what she knew of Guy and his personality, and based on what she knew of the style, and based on all the past experience she had from her fights with him and others, her brain burned a prophecy for her that was more right than wrong. It was enough to give her a little edge. It wasn't hard to predict Guy, it was just nearly impossible to catch him.

He roared into a blur she almost missed as the lights over the training field flickered with age. In less than a heartbeat he was gone and she panicked, but threw herself forward into a roll before she knew why. Her body moved before her mind could rationalize it. Behind her the earth coughed under Guy's heel. She rolled sideways and came out of the tumble with her ankles spinning.

Sakura felt the sweat under her collar but ignored it as she turned her body over, matching blow for blow once more. She pivoted on her heel, leaving her back exposed and in his strike range, but he didn't fall for it. She fell back into a different stance, knowing that for as fast and strong Guy was, he was also several years her senior with far more battle experience. As well as she knew him, he probably knew her better.

Guy senpai was still her senpai after all.

Growling low to herself Sakura went low and aimed for his ankles, swiping with one leg and then turning over to swipe with the other, knowing he would leap high enough avoid both. She chased him into the air where he had less mobility. With friction he had traction and speed, but he falled just as fast she she did and he had no way to change it.

She tried to catch him in the air but noticed the lose bandages curling around her too late. He drew her close to him and turned her body over his and she braced, knowing he wouldn't let go until the impact.

_Shadow of the Dancing Leaf to a Front Lotus!_

She thought she felt the ground under her shatter, and prayed it wasn't really just her body that came away broken. The dust settled and she rolled over, feeling the first traces of sensation come back to her after the shock of impact. His fighting intent was gone from the air, and the sense of urgency that made her heart hammer wasn't there anymore.

Sakura coughed and stood, greatful to find herself more shocked than broken. She was still in one piece, so she raised her arms and curled her fingers into a fist.

Across from her Guy was still smiling, but it wasn't a teasing or mocking smile. He was breathing deeply and leaning back, half out of his style. She refused to believe he was truly tired after that, since he was only more well known for his stamina after his speed and brute strength. He could outpace her without chakra easy.

"You planning on going to dinner looking like that?" He teased, smile bright enough to catch the only light in the area and shine just as brilliantly.

"I've never been accused of vanity," Sakura teased back.

Guy laughed and pulled himself back into his signature style. "Far be it for me to escort a lady to dinner looking like I just pile drived her into the dust."

"That's exactly what you did, old man," Sakura mocked back.

"Well I don't want them knowing that. Iruka san would be aghast!"

Sakura refused the temptation to roll her eyes because she really didn't care what Iruka thought. He was just a silly ninny who was suited to training and teaching kids.

Keeping her hands in front of her face so she was sure Guy wouldn't catch the blush, Sakura bent at the knees and dragged up what she had left of her energy to charge him. He met her blow for blow, blurring like he had at the start of the fight. It was almost harder to keep up with him than before.

She thought she smelled his skin burning but before she could be sure her head was caught and forced into the dirt. She rotated her hips to get a leg up behind her, but he was faster by a fraction. Her hands were pinned down along with her one leg, leaving only one limb with limited reach the ability to flail around.

"Enough?" he cheered.

Sakura snarled into the dirt, hating how she couldn't use chakra. If only she could make herself stronger his hands on her wouldn't be a problem, but without chakra she was at his mercy. All she could do was scream into the dirt and then go limp.

"What was that?"

" _IsaidIyeild_!" she hissed.

The pressure was gone from her back and Sakura rolled over before sitting up. The smallest of of her pack, Chainsaw was already running for her, barkin and pawing at her front until she reached to tug him into the front of her jacket where he curled up content and warm. She felt him lick under her jaw.

"Does this mean we can't go home now?" Dango asked.

"Dinner first," Sakura grumbled, looking back at Guy who still looked fine and smiled brightly still. It made her mentally gag before facing the other members of her pack. "Sorry guys, just a few more hours and then I promise we'll be back in our beds."

Dango was the only one who seemed to mind. Even Waffles, the largest and meanest looking in her pack, didn't seem upset or perturbed at the fact.

Dango sniffed loudly at the dirt patches around her shoulders. "You look like crap though. What if Umino really is there?"

Sakura hissed loudly and swatted at Dango before climbing to her feet and patting herself down. It didn't fix everything, but it did help.

"Shut up, I look fine." Looking back over her shoulder she called to Guy. "Right, senpai? I look decent enough for dinner."

"You radiate the springtime of youth my dear Sakura. Who could doubt your enthusiasm for life in such a state?"

She felt herself sag. "Damn it."

But a promise was a promise, and Guy was not the person who would let her get away with breaking a promise, so she went with him, down to the barbecue grill where a small group was already gathered, made up of familiar and semi familiar faces.

"Look who you dragged!" Genma exclaimed, rising half out of his seat to toast his beer at her. "As I live and breath, the ghost emerges."

"Don't tell me that's what they're saying now. How unoriginal," Sakura said with a sneer.

She reached out and took the beer from his hand before tipping it back to finish off. When he reached to reclaim it she let him, grinning when he turned it over and saw nothing left for him.

Guy pushed Genma down to make room for himself and Sakura, loudly cheering a greeting to Asuma and Kurenai. Anko sat at the far end of the table talking to maybe the youngest member that Sakura didn't recognize.

Sakura looked to where she was supposed to sit and see who else she would be beside. Across from her Shisui Uchiha hung on Iruka's shoulder. The Uchiha was going on and on about something that had started as a conversation before she had ever entered the room.

"-But he's really cute and he'll be bothered by all the girls, we're seeing it already," Shisui slurred, pink in the face.

Sakura clicked her tongue loudly. "It's not even late and you're already this sloshed, Uchiha? What are you doing being allowed a drink?"

Shisui rolled his head back and the color on his cheeks was high but not strong. He grinned and it made his eyes crease. "Saaaaakura chan," he sang. "You're here to see me?"

"Yeah, I needed a reminder why I chose to become a hermit so I came looking for you," she sassed calmly. Sakura didn't bother greeting Iruka or making eye contact.

"Mean!" Shisui started to reach for her but kept one arm around Iruka. "Look I'm trying to bribe my cousin's teacher before he's even his teacher!"

Sakura forced herself to look at his face and not remember how the last time he had seen her she had been a snotty, crying mess. She managed a softer, honest smile. "I heard about it from Guy senpai. Congratulations, I think you'll make a fantastic teacher."

Iruka laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Thank you, I'm ready for the change of pace, even if it does seem daunting."

"You'll be fantastic at it," she answered easily.

It wasn't hard to force the words, since she thought his soft heart was perfect for mentoring and caring for young ones. He was a better person than she was, and ANBU wasn't for him. He wasn't meant to be a killer or a monster.

"It's been a long time since you've been back. Has retirement really been that good?" Iruka joked.

Sakura reached down to scratch a tired Chainsaw behind his ears. The rest of her dogs were laying down outside, content to wait.

"It's the best. I can't wait until they pull me out of it and give me something to do though," she huffed, not really meaning it. She hoped Iruka got that impression from her tone, but wasn't willing to ask him such a weird question directly.

"You need to come back to my squad," Shisui interrupted, finally slipping off Iruka and slumping against the table. "It's all real casual these day, we're not even wearing polish anymore."

Sakura glared at the rest of the room, but as she hoped, they had the large room to themselves, sectioned off and taped up with silencing seals. 'Polish' was a term used to refer to the polished white masks they wore in ANBU, but to anyone else, it would be an empty phrase.

"How much have you had?" Sakura asked, reaching for his empty glass. She pulled it to her nose and sniffed. "What is this stuff?"

"The best, I just had two cups of it and wow, it's been fun but...wow." Shisui waved his hand at the empty glass. "Baijiu I think."

Iruka leaned forward to supply additional information. "It was a gift from the owner, we all had a shot but I gave him mine and then on top of the beers..."

"I get the feeling we were late to the party," Sakura said.

"Not too late. We're all still here, after all." Iruka looked around but his gaze went back to Sakura. "I'm glad you decided to come. It's been a while since we could chat."

"O-oh, yeah," she answered lamely.

Sakura set the glass back down and grabbed for a plate to put food onto while ignoring the way her ears burned. Dinner had already been served and there were several different main plates with food still left, but like the night, the party seemed to have gone extra late.

Shisui reached for her before she could get any foot and stood up suddenly, dragging her arms with him. "I have to show you something," he loudly declared before dragging her around the table to the opposite end where Anko sat alongside the dark haired kid. "Look at him, isn't my cousin cute?"

"The one you're trying to bribe the academy teacher for?" Sakura sighed.

Shisui made a face. "No, that's  _Sasuke_. Look Sakura, this is Itachi, my best friend and a newly appointed animal companion. We're breaking him into the polish ranks gradually you know."

Sakura blinked and stared down at the kid, noticing how he squirmed under the scrutiny. She felt something roll in her gut and tried to hide it but couldn't.

"Animal ranks? Itachi, how old are you now?"

He jumped at the question, having not even been addressed by her yet. She saw Anko, sitting beside him, snicker at the way his face flushed with embarrassment.

"I am twelve years old, Sakura san." He swallowed and looked up at her confidently. "How old are you?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the polished young boy and knelt down in front of him with an expression hard enough to convey how uninterested she was in being funny. He didn't back down and met her stare head on, even when she tilted her chin up to stare down her nose at him.

"Old enough to know you're not supposed to go around asking older sisters their ages, especially when they're your senior in rank."

"Yet who was the one calling me an old man?" Guy interjected, leaning over and winking to Itachi.

"I'm a delicate lady, there's a difference, old man."

Anko snorted but it was Genma who howled and lifted his drink in her direction. "What sort of delicate lady makes craters larger than small villages?"

"The kind you shouldn't tease," Sakura bit back. She playfully snapped her teeth at him and Anko laughed louder.

"Look at that, you made the mama wolf angry," Anko cooed at Genma.

The older woman's steely eyes slid back to fix on Sakura, and she saw a glimmer of something mischievous. With Anko that could mean anything.

Sakura chose to ignore the teasing from her seniors and friends to look back at Shisui and Itachi, the younger of which was watching her intently. There was an air of intelligence around him, and Sakura didn't doubt he was another Uchiha prodigy like his cousin.

' _But at least Shisui knows how to smile. This kid is an icebox.'_

"If you're new in the ranks you'll probably be put on something basic for a while. Don't hesitate to bother Shisui if you have any questions. I'd bet you're too polite to think about bothering anyone else, but don't hold back. ANBU is a whole different beast and you can get swallowed up real easy. I don't doubt you'll do well with your duties, you seem like the type that's allergic to failure, but a lot of time newbies forget to take care of themselves mentally."

She expected him to nod politely and thank her with a plastic sort of smile and then pay her some lip service. It was the sort of thing clan heirs and stuffy first sons were good at and Itachi fit the bill to a T. People had likely been giving him the same sort of advice all night after congratulating Iruka.

Itachi surprised her though. "Then, did you have someone you talked to?"

"Yeah, it helped… especially after I learned he was also fighting a lot of ghosts of his own." Sakura swept her arm out and gestured to the others at the table. "It's the open secret of all accomplished nin, no one has it together and we're all patchwork messes just holding each other up and hiding behind a mask."

"Even Guy?"

Sakura snorted. "Okay, maybe not Guy, but everyone else. Guy is a different sort of beast. Don't use him as an example or a comparison for anything."

Itachi glanced from Guy to Shisui and hummed thoughtful to himself before sipping from the clear drink that didn't smell like anything. Shisui looked less pink in the face and was swaying less, but his eyes hadn't lost their hazy sheen.

"Maybe not Shisui...I don't think he'd be the best keeper of secrets," Itachi finally admitted, abit with a teasing tone.

Shisui clicked his tongue and sat back, leaning into Sakura. "My cute little cousin is teasing me. He even said we were best friends earlier, what am I supposed to do, Sakura chan?"

"Leave me alone about it and quit acting so familiar. I'm your senpai."

Sakura shoved at his shoulder but he leaned further into her space, grinning broader until his grin was half his face and he had his head in her lap.

"You've been gone waaaay too long, Sakura senpai, so don't ask me to leave you alone just yet. You didn't call, you didn't write, what do you think that was like for your friends?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure if I asked Guy he would tell me."

"Cruel," he whined, rolling into her stomach and grabbing her around the waist to hug her. He didn't seem concerned about the dust or dirt that still dirtied her jacket from the earlier spar.

Chainsaw barked from under her chin, peeking out from the jacket and twisting around to stare down at Shisui. Sakura heard a sharp intake of breath and looked up to see Itachi staring at the small dog.

"You use ninken?" he asked. His eyes went to her face, searching for tattoos she didn't have.

"Yeah, but I'm not a part of the Inuzuka clan. Chainsaw is a sensor type, so he works with me to let me know about long distance chakra signatures and some close range signatures I might miss."

Sakura pulled the terrier out and set him down. Chainsaw turned around and went straight for the back of Shisui's hair, clawing at it angrily before Sakura pushed him away. Itachi stared.

"Want to hold him?"

Itachi looked up suddenly. Sakura didn't wait for his answer but grabbed the scruff of Chainsaw's neck and pulled him up, supporting him from underneath while carrying him across the table to where Itachi sat. The younger Uchiha reached out immediately to accept the dog and cradled Chainsaw in his arms. Sakura felt Shisui turn around, rolling over just enough to see. He smirked and then rolled back to how he was, shoulders sagging as the rest of his body fell into a melted state of relaxation.

"How old is he?" Itachi asked, scratching Chainsaw's belly. "He looks so tiny."

"He's the runt of a litter, that's why. He was actually a pup from my former sensei's last litter and I'm hoping that when he's a little older he'll be able to better communicate with me. But Chainsaw is eleven months old."

"If he's a summon isn't it a big drain to keep him out all the time?"

Sakura shook her head. "His mother was just a regular mutt. His dad was the summon, so he was born out here in the current world, not as a summon. I don't know if that means he won't be able to talk or not, but I'm hopeful. He's already smart as a lick and I can understand most of his primal language so it's okay."

"I haven't signed a contract with a summon yet." Itachi looked up to Shishu and frowned. "That should be something I work on though."

Sakura chuckled, picking up on the message 'underneath the underneath' and flicked at Shisui's ear with a little more force than necessary. He jerked at the contact and before he could roll back into place Sakura stood up, leaving him sprawling at her feet.

Seeing her up Chainsaw also squirmed free and darted for her, launching off of Shisui's chest like it was a ledge meant just for him. Sakura caught her dog and unzipped the front of her jacket to allow Chainsaw a perch which he happily accepted.

"You're leaving so soon?" Guy asked from across Anko. Between the two of them fresh entrees had arrived and Guy gestured to the fresh food. "You haven't eaten anything."

Sakura held up her empty beer and grinned. "I stayed for a drink. You never stipulated how long dinner was anyway."

"Ah, next time I'll have to."

Sakura kicked at his side teasingly. "Don't forget I'm up way past my bedtime. I need to get my pack back."

"You should just get an apartment here in the village proper," Genma interjected, leaning forward to enter their conversation. "I heard rumors they're pulling you back."

"I'm weary of rumors myself. I mean, there is that one about you and the fact that you lost a ball sack on your first mission to Wave."

The incident had been widely discussed since he came back from that particular mission to Wave heavily injured below the chest. The medics working in the hospital at the time were gossiping fawns who 'lamented' the loss a bit too much because someone told them to. Genma was still looking for the perpetrator of the rumor.

"You're such a comedian," Genma mocked with a thin smile.

"Someone has to rest of you are a joke without me."

Sakura bent down to kiss the top of Guy's head and whisper a quiet 'thank you' into his hair. He reached up before she pulled away and pat the side of her face, not unlike how Kakashi once did.

"You'll not stay away for a year this time."

"No I won't," she agreed.

Sakura said her short goodbyes and waved to the rest of the party. She offered Iruka congratulations once more and promised to visit his classroom once he was settled in.

"None of these kids know the first thing about first aid, but we'd appreciate a visitor to demonstrate anything." He smiled brightly at her and she felt herself melt like butter just a little bit.

"I-I'll do whatever you need me to. Haha, you know me, always eager to help."

She turned abruptly and left before she could sound any more stupid in front of him. Outside, most of her pack was waiting for her and she only needed to blow her whistle for Waffles once. The largest dog came bounding out of the shadows and touched down at Sakura's side, sniffing loudly.

"All friends," Sakura supplied, knowing they likely smelled Shisui more than anyone else.

"Home?" Dango asked, shifting the weight of his body from one side of paws to the other.

She was about to say yes when someone calling her name from the restaurant stopped her. She turned around and saw Shisui jogging over to her. There was still color on his face but his jog was straight and he didn't have any trouble speaking with her. The haze from his eyes wasn't there anymore.

"Is it true what Genma said, that the Hokage was thinking of putting you on his jonin squad?" he asked, stopped directly in front of her.

"He's blowing smoke out his ass, don't listen to anything he says."

"But you're coming back for someone, right? Hokage must have said something about putting you in a unit or something. Do you know if he'll make you go Jounin or might you come back to ANBU?"

Sakura thought absently about how much of a little shit Shisui could be, because even with the extra strong drink, he hadn't been nearly as drunk as he played it up to be.

"Shisui, I don't know. He'll let me know once he makes up his own damn mind and then you'll find out the same as everyone else. Don't hound me 'bout it now, it won't do you any good."

"Do you need someone on ANBU to recommend you?"

"Not you," Sakura snorted with an amused grin.

He flushed a little behind the ears. "Hey, I may be just a little bit younger than you, but don't underestimate the pull an Uchiha can have in these matters."

Sakura reached out and flicked at his forhead. "Whatever. You should just worry about yourself and that cousin of yours. Share your crows with him for starters and make sure he defrosts a bit. Poor kid is a stiff as a board."

Shisui reached up to rub the flicked spot on his forehead and grinned. "I'll take care of him. Promise to check up on us?"

"Nope," she said, popping her 'P' loudly before turning away.

Her pack fell into step along and behind her. Seconds later they were flickering into blurs in the night.

Shisui watched them as long as he could, using his sharingan when regular eyes could no longer see that far. When they were finally out of sight he turned and caught sight of Itachi, watching from the window, his own red eyes spinning lazilly up the side of the far off mountains.

* * *

 


	2. Chapter 2

_THINGS WE LOST TO THE FIRE  Chapter 2_

Things we lost to the flame  
 **Things we'll never see again**  
All that we've amassed  
Sits before us, shattered into ash

* * *

_Years later, living alone in the woods with half a dozen dogs, questionable reading material, and crippling attachment issues, Sakura realizes she turned into her teacher. Agebent Sakura Sensei_

* * *

There were several small and humble shrines dotting the outer edges of the forest property. Sakura had read about all of them in the summary of the land's retail value, where they were briefly mentioned, before digging deeper into the history of each one.

She didn't remember being religious as a child, and even as an adult she didn't feel anything for the spiritual symbolism, but there was something about seeing the houses broken and forgotten that made her sad. She started with one and then made a little more progress each day,  _washed, sanded, repainted, and cleaned out_ , until all eight shrines were back in a state of glory.

"Maybe there is no greater value in cleaning them out, but it makes me feel better to do this," she once explained to a grumbling Dango. The Doberman huffed at that but stayed close, helping when he could.

It had been a while since the shrines were last tended to, but it was more because Sakura wanted something else to do while she waited for the summons that she took the spring water with her in a bucket to the first one.

She set the water down and straightened when she noticed Chainsaw go stiff beside her. The hair on his back along his spine stood up and he barked once, but didn't crouch or adapt a threatening stance.

Sakura looked where he was staring and put in the extra effort to see if she could sense anything from that direction. She didn't notice anything at first, and had to go over the area several times before something tickled her senses. She would have never noticed it without Chainsaw.

"Is it so tiny because it's being masked or because that's what it really is?" Sakura asked.

She reached down to scratch Chainsaw behind the ears. He barked in reply and she had suspected it to be another one of those kids. Whoever it was, they were either a civilian or a child.

"It's got nothing to do with us," said Dango.

"Yeah. If they wanted something from us they'd come out, but I think they're just running around playing hide and seek or something. Are there any others?"

Chainsaw sneezed and it shook his head. Sakura took that as a no.

She cleaned up the shrine, washing it out and picking out the dead leaves and chasing the spiders out after their broken webs. She didn't leave any offerings, but there was a patch of thick clover around the base and there just happened to be one with a pretty discoloration she picked to leave at the shrine.

She made it back to the house and checked for a message but found none and resolved to train in the backyard for a couple hours with the pack before making a late lunch and then washing off the grim and sweat.

She was reading medical texts when Chainsaw barked at the approaching chakra. Sakura looked up from her book and frowned, because she could feel the chakra too. No, Chainsaw barked again and she had to strain to feel for the second signature that was dwarfed by the first.

Sakura almost got up to approach them, but a moment later thought better of it and settled back into her seat. The house was trapped and there were enough defenses around the property that she didn't have to worry.

Besides, the second signature was child sized. She was willing to bet the first one was also a child, abit an older child with natural reserves meant for a monster. They were rare but not unheard of in children destined for great things.

"If they want to wear themselves out playing ding dong ditch they can have at it," Sakura sighed. She turned a page and frowned at the drawing.

"Hmph, brats," Dango huffed.

When Mop whined from the end of the room Sakura looked up again to see both him and Souta at the front door, staring through it as if expecting something. Souta looked back first and whined louded.

"Leave the kids alone," Sakura told the white, long haired Borzoi. "They're fine. They're probably just playing."

"You can't hear them shouting?" Dango asked, pretending he didn't know all their hearing was much better than hers.

Sakura clicked her tongue, closing the book and channeled her chakra to her ears so that she became able to hear the far off voices of two young children screaming into the woods.

"Stupid teme, come on! Where are you?"

"Oi, two-face, where did you go?"

"Come out."

Sakura cut off the flow of chakra. "That's nothing. I told you they were playing a game of hide and seek. What else does it sound like to you?"

Dango huffed, his ears going flat for a moment in reaction. "They sound  _upset_. It's not just what they're saying, but pay attention to  _how_  they are saying it. Listen again."

"They're kids. It's in their nature to think the world is ending everytime something goes wrong. It's not a big deal little tykes would be worried when out in the woods with one of their own missing." Sakura flipped to a new page.

' _They think the woods are haunted anyway.'_

"You don't think anything is wrong?"

"Nah, they're kids. They'll figure it out themselves."

"And if they don't?"

Sakura flipped back a page in her book to compare two different drawings. "If they don't get it figured out then it's tough darts. Not like it has anything to do with me."

She was interrupted by the doorbell and a solid knocking. Mop barked when the knocking turned to pounding and Sakura growled along with Dango when she had to rise out of her seat and cross the room to answer the door.

Sakura stopped at the door, staring at it from the other side and feeling the chakra just beyond the surface. The kids hadn't run like she thought he would. That was the only reason she was so close, after all.

'Give it a minute and he'll run away,' she thought to herself.

But not more than a second later the pounding started up again and he was screaming at her through the doorway. "Hey witch lady, wake up! I'll let you eat me if you help me!"

Dango chuckled and Sakura rolled her eyes. When Sakura had been a kid the rumor about the witch in the wood was about how she needed fingers and eyes for magic jewelry. It changed with each generation and somewhere along the way she had forgotten she was older now and if the kids saw her now they might be mistaken enough to call her an adult.

Sakura opened the door and saw the blond boy with wide blue eyes. His hand was raised as if he meant to knock again but had frozen mid strike.

"Oi, brat, what are you doing disturbing my sleep like this?" Sakura growled with a bit more menace to her tone than usual. She flashed a bit of killing intent for the fun of it, daring him to run at the sight of her.

But he didn't.

Sakura hid her amusement when the boy squared himself firmly in place and raised his hands into little fists in front of his face. He was shaking in fear but he didn't run. Funny guy.

"My-My name is Naruto and I'm going to be Hokage one day, but today my friend Sasuke is missing and I need you to help me find him because this is your forest and witches can find anything in forests."

Sakura crouched down and leaned in, bringing herself closer. "Oi, but you said I could eat you if I help you. How can I do that if you plan on becoming Hokage?"

She eyed him up and down like she was pretending to see him as a snack and his shaking got worse. It made her want to laugh but she restrained herself. It was hard but she bit back her laugh and kept her eyes narrowed.

"You-you can eat me after I become Hokage, promise, but I need to find my friend. He's missing and I think he's hurt because we weren't playing Hide and Seek but he's not meeting up with us like he's supposed to. We can't find him and all the trees look the same."

Sakura was close enough to see that his face was grubby with dirt, but there were clean trails cutting through the dirt from his eyes to his chin. He had been crying, recently. When she inhaled she smelled the salt from his tears.

"Maybe that's good enough for me," she grumbled.

Sakura pulled back and straightened before whistling sharply. Dango, Mop, and Souta came out. Naruto gasped at the sight of all the dogs that were bigger than him. When Chainsaw came trotting out a second later Naruto missed him and that pissed off the sensor mutt enough to make him bark angrily.

"Find the kid, sniff him out if you can," Sakura said simply.

There was a chorus of barks before they each dashed off, Souta blurring into a streak as he was the fastest of the bunch.

Chainsaw bounded up a hill and turned around to bark back at her, tail wagging. He already knew where the boy was from when they were out clearing out the shrines. He was excited to show up his brothers.

"Just go," Sakura huffed, mildly agitated that the smaller dog was looking so eager when she had been trying her best to intimidate the child. Naruto wasn't nearly as scared as before. It was hard to be intimidated with Chainsaw.

"Those are all your dogs?" Naruto asked in a tone of wonder.

"Those are my ninken," she corrected.

"You're a shinobi?" Naruto turned to gasp, looking her over once more. "You don't look like one. What are you doing all the way out here where there are no other ninja people?"

Sakura tried to call up some killing intent and roll it off her in waves but it was impossible to manage when he stared up at her with such wide eyes. "Trying to get away from annoying brats like you. Shut up."

"That's cool! How long have you been a shinobi? Have you always lived out here in the forest? Are you special because you're a witch and a shinobi?"

One question came after another until they were streaming out of his mouth and she had forgotten about the tear stains on his face. His voice was annoying.

Sakura reached into her shirt and pulled out the dog whistle and blew it for Waffles. One short blow meant only Waffles should come, and two meant she needed the whole pack.

The large black wolf dog came bounding out from between the shadows and touched down near silent as a wraith beside Sakura, making Naruto stumble back and fall onto his but. The questions stopped and his jaw hung open. Waffles didn't say anything but pressed her face into Sakura's good hand, sniffing and somehow smelling the leftover killing intent.

"It's fine girl, you need to take me into the woods wherever you think there might be a boy hiding. I'm looking for trespassers."

Waffles growled low and Naruto squeaked.

"But don't hurt him! Sasuke isn't a trespasser, he's just lost."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "We're not going to hurt him...much."

"Ah, you are, you are, you are!"

Naruto screamed, jumping back up and running for her only to trip again when Waffles lowered her head and growled. With her teeth bared she looked like something out of a nightmare. She had to place a hand atop Waffles head to calm her.

"I'm joking, Naruto. We're not eating someone so small and pitiful for dinner. Stand up, we're going out." Sakura started to walk and with a handwave Waffles followed.

They were a handful of paces away when she heard Naruto scramble to his feet out of the dirt and shout, "Wa-wait for me!"

"You wanna come with us you have to be quiet or else you'll disturb the ghosts," Sakura warned in perfect seriousness.

Naruto gulped loudly and ducked his head before following them into the forest brush.

Sakura kept an eye out for placemarkers that betrayed their location and quickly found several she recognized from her trip back. She expected Chainsaw to come back in mere minutes to pinpoint the exact location, but she could get close enough on her own.

Waffles paused after a few minutes and turned before bending her head low and letting her ears go flat. Sakura saw the way her thick black fur ruffled in agitation, standing up and making her seem that much larger. Sakura stretched out her senses, pinpointing a chakra signature so small she thought she might have missed it unless she had been looking for it. Something black started to move and she heard Naruto gasp.

"Sai! Did you find Sasuke anywhere?" Naruto hollered, darting forward.

A second child ambled up the meek hill and braced before Naruto launched himself. Sai seemed to expect it, as he didn't grunt loudly or change expression as Naruto impact with wide arms.

"I did not find the two-face, my apologies." Sai pat Naruto on the back and then looked up over his shoulder. "Who is helping you look?"

"Oh, oh, this is the witch from the house you told me not to go to, but she's not a witch all the time, she's also a shinobi like us."

"You didn't ask her for her name and just believed her like that, did you?" Sai asked, sounding stiff in a way that made Sakura think it was typical-normal even- for him to emote nothing.

"Eh, I guess I didn't." Naruto laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Oops, I forgot."

Sai turned and regarded Sakura stiffly before inclining his head in a shallow bow. "Hello, shinobi san, it is nice to meet you. My name is Sai and we are looking for a young boy with black hair and eyes who talks nice to adults but is really a terrible person on the inside."

"Oh, is that why you call him two-face?" Sakura hummed.

"I give all my friends nicknames, that is how I know we are developing and growing a bond of friendship."

Sakura nodded at Naruto. "What do you call him?"

Sai turned to look at Naruto before slowly returning his gaze to Sakura. "I call him Naruto."

"Sai, that's so mean, we live together. You're like my brother."

Sai smiled and it looked so fake. "I sometimes call him idiot because that's what he is, though I've been told it is rude and I should stop calling him that."

Naruto huffed and stomped his foot. "Can't you just give me a nice nickname, like something amazing like Ramen Lord?"

Waffles turned away from the brats and pointed her nose at the ground once, inhaling loudly before looking up and hitting Sakura with her tail, lightly drawing her attention. Sakura turned away from the boys and took a step to let Waffles know she was following.

"Hey wait shinobi lady!" Naruto hollered, jumping up and running to her side. One of Sakura's strides was long enough for Naruto to have to struggle to keep up with.

She heard Sai follow a few steps behind, grateful for his efforts to keep quiet.

They walked a few minutes more before a howling far off drew her attention. She recognized the bellow as belonging to Mop. If she strained she could hear Chainsaw too, but Mop's low howl traveled further.

She picked up her pace, holding herself from racing off the way she knew she could. If she drew too far ahead the other two trailing in her dust would be left lost in her forest. Still, she raced ahead, putting enough distance between them that they were close enough to see her, but not reach her.

The shrine from earlier came into view and then blinked back into the shadows as Sakura jogged past. She was close to where she had first sensed the child.

The howl came again and this time she recognized another voice from her pack, Dango, adding his voice in loud barks that sent birds flying. Beside her Waffle growled and Sakura let her chakra flare in anger.

Her pack wasn't alone with the boy they had found.

Sakura didn't care about the boys behind her anymore, but started to peel out in earnest, racing off in flickers she knew they couldn't keep up with. The closer she got the tighter she drew her chakra to herself until it was so thin it was undetectable to all but a highly trained sensor.

She burst onto the scene with a snarling Waffles to see a single shinobi male with a short sword raised. Half his face was covered in a visor like mask that left his mouth and nose exposed.

"Shit, you're not the brother," he grunted before raising his sword.

Sakura didn't respond but slipping into position as Souta came crashing into the clearing and attacked first, darting just out of sword reach with his impressive speed. The rest of her pack moved like a single unit, layering their attacks one after the other until Sakura was next, launching off Waffle's back and twisting in air enough to charge her left leg for a heel drop that shattered earth.

The individual cursed and rolled away, bringing up his sword to deflect fang and claw. Every attack that was launched at him showed up as a reflection in his silver visor and Sakura wondered how effective something like the sharingan would be on a person wearing a visor like that.

It was the worst timing, but between one strike and a block Sakura put the pieces together.

" _My-My name is Naruto and I'm going to be Hokage one day, but today my friend Sasuke is missing and I need you to help me find him…"_

_Shisui made a face. "No, that's Sasuke. Look Sakura, this is Itachi, my best friend and a newly appointed animal companion. We're breaking him into the polish ranks gradually you know."_

Shit, someone was trying to abduct an Uchiha.

"Don't kill this one if you can," Sakura snarled to Dango before biting the finger of her left glove and pulling it off. She turned her wrist around and less hand and more blade she launched herself with renewed vigor.

His hands were up in a seal and she felt his chakra before the ground rose up in a stone wall separating her from him. That was easy enough to punch through but on the other side Chainsaw barked a warning that saved her.

_Underground_

Sakura ignored the illusion in front of her and instead turned towards the ground and reeling back with her other hand to shatter the earth under her. She saw his form in the rubble and struck out with her blade dripping something nasty and green.

He stuck a tag onto the rubble beside her head and she pulled back before she could properly see it, only to curse when it popped spores into the air. She hadn't missed how his mask slid down and covered the rest of his face now.

"Stay back," she barked to her pack while pulling up her shirt over her mouth.

His hands were forming more seals and she ran for him again only to feel the ground under her go soft. She had just enough time to launch herself into to trees before the land, once solid, went soft like melted chocolate.

She aimed her left wrist in his direction and from her wrist launched several senbon, one right after the other. Unlike typical, the stream of metal needles assaulting him rained mercilessly, not ceasing until his slipped behind a tree and out of sight.

Sakura cursed. Whoever she was fighting he was strong, skilled enough to take on ANBU at least. If he had been waiting out to ambush Itachi or Shisui he would have to be confident in his skills or else-

The tree she had been holding onto shattered at the base and she was barely in time, leaming away before a second figure in a silver mask, identical to the first, pulled his hand out of the charred trunk, still crackling with lightning. It made her think of chirping birds, but when she blinked the memory was gone, along with her hesitation.

Waffles rebounded off a tree and came down on the newest nin with snapping fangs. The arm that had once been sizzling with electric light crunched loudly under her jaws. The scream was impossible to misunderstand.

'Good girl,' Sakura thought as she signaled to the rest of the pack.

A moment later four more jaws were clamped down on the figure's form, snapping ankle and wrist alike. They then proceeded to tear him to shred the way wild things tended to.

Sakura dropped down from her tea and approached the first figure. As she assumed, he was already wavering on his feet. Her poison only needed forty five seconds to work and she had been counting them painfully one by one before dropping down.

He crumpled on his own, falling paralyzed to the ground with minor convulsions and twitches.

"This won't kill you, don't worry," Sakura cooed. She reached for his mask and broke it in hand before peeling pieces of it away one by one. "But it'll sting a little as it keeps you paralyzed. Wouldn't want you to go numb on me and forget what pain feel like, after all."

"Y-you, you're not-" his eyes were wide and mouth taunt, "-the Uchiha."

"Super disappointed, aren't you?" Sakura flicked her left wrist and it was more hand than blade once more. "But We should all be braced to face some disappointment in life, like how I'm disappointed someone would be  _stuuuuupid_  enough to try anything in my forest. Who gave you the idea to try something here, buddy?"

She put pressure on the pop of his throat and he choked. "No-not gonna tell, you'll just kill me anyway."

He glared and Sakura felt like slapping him for it. Instead she turned his face to the side so she could see his partner being pulled apart by her pack.

"You are right, you are going to die," she said slowly. "But do you want it to be quick right here at the neck, or should it last for hours as they pull you apart….limb….from...limb?"

Mop had part of the arm in his mouth as he shook it free and muscle and skin flapped free off the end. It hadn't been a neat cut and leaked everywhere.

"What's it going to be?"

"You weren't supposed to be here. We didn't even send the scroll to the compound. No one was supposed to be here," he blurted. Sakura approved of how his voice shook.

"Oh, what scroll?"

"Fr-front pocket."

Sakura looked for a trap or a trigger but found none. Inside was a small scroll, no longer than her index finger. She broke the seal easy and let it roll free. The message was simple and short.

_Your brother won't survive long. Come alone or let the earth consume the Uchiha's youth._

"That's lovely poetry. It sounds like you were after the little brat's brother. What did you think you could do with a twelve year old?"

"He's not just any twelve year old."

Sakura chuckled dryly and pinched his nose. "He would have beaten you both. Really, the work was pathetic on your part. No stamina. What did you think you could do, beat him?"

"He wouldn't be able to use his-"

"Shinobi are more than their jutsu, and even without those stupid eyes I was able to take you down. Who would want a pair of pretty reds these days anyway? Which village are you poaching for?"

"None."

Sakura leaned in, smiling threateningly. "I've got five dogs with big appetites and your friend was skinny. Try again or they start taking away the pieces of you one by one."

"No village, no outside village, not from outside!" He tried to move but there was no use. Her toxins would circulate through his body for the rest of the hour. "No, it wasn't from the outside it was official, I had orders."

Sakura felt herself recoil in disgust. "You mean the Hokage issued this?" She thought he was a senile old fool, but this plan didn't fit his image. It wasn't his stye. "I think you should try again."

He was nearly vibrating under her, still paralyzed but struggling with all his might against the poison. She spread her fingers around his throat, keeping one finger atop his Adam's Apple and let the others press in enough to bruise before lightening up.

She leaned in.

"I said, try again," she cooed in another sweet tone, fake smile in place

"Orders."

"Who's?" she applied pressure.

"Can't-seal won't let us."

And then something happened with his eyes. The fear melted away and a distant look toko over his gaze. The shaking stopped and the tension drained out of him. Sakura went stiff, stretching out her senses for a trap or backup, but there was nothing she could see to explain the sudden calm that took over his fear.

"No, no, no, NO!" Sakura grabbed him at the collar and shook him. "Name, tell me his name, tell me it was him!"

He opened his mouth and something on his tongue started to burn and soon the rest of him from the inside out went up in flames too. Behind her Dango shouted a warning but she didn't need it, because she was jumping away in time to miss the ripple of explosion she had come to expect with suicide cell members.

Souta found and reached her first, licking at her face and neck. She groaned and pushed herself to sit up when Mop came over to paw at her legs, checking to make sure she wasn't broken in places. His muzzle was still thick with red and gore but he whined for her.

"You think it was ROOT?" Dango asked.

"You don't?"

Dango didn't say anything.

Sakura shot up, remember her original mission in coming out into the woods. "Where is the kid? Was he-?"

"Safe," Dango assured. "He wasn't that close to the blast, but he's incapacitated and buried not far from here. Come."

Sakura stood and followed her dogs out from behind the trees, grimacing at the blackened battlefield where the barest remains splattered the trunks of nearby trees. Nothing else remained of the bodies.

"Waffles, go find those two boys from earlier and lead them here. We'll take the other one back to the house and I can check on him there to see if he needs anything."

Sakura reached up to run her hand through her hair and only noticed her missing glove when the mechanical fingers were in front of her face. She winced and quickly cast a low level genjutsu. She didn't want to freak the kids out anymore and she could already imagine what sort of story they would give her disability.

Chainsaw was already ahead of her, barking at something in the ground at the base of an ancient tree. The roots were exposed and a weaving mess of overlapping components that would be easy to fall through if you were small enough. Sakura saw the signs of a trap in the way dirt still clung to the roots. Someone had staged the area to make it look like it was all solid ground, when really there was a wide opening under the tree beneath the roots.

Sakura knelt at the edge and looked down. At the base of the trap there was a small child, thin and bleeding from his hip. She slithered in under the roots and reached for the child to see if his wounds were really that bad or simply superficial.

There was a long scratch that was deep enough to stain his shirt, but it wasn't anything difficult that she couldn't fix. It had already started to cot over but she was more worried about infection based on how dirty the rest of him looked.

His dark black locs were scattered across his face and she reached to brush them apart and hummed low to herself. He looked a lot like Itachi, she was sure he was an Uchiha.

"SASUKE?!"

Sakura looked up and glared to where a blond head poked through the roots. Naruto's face was wet with more tears as he cried for the sight of his friend. Beside him, Sai watched on calmly.

"Shut up, kid," Sakura snapped before turning and looking back down at the Uchiha. His eyes were wide and blinking. Sakura pulled back her hand from his face and huffed. "Never mind, I guess he's awake now. No point bothering it."

"Wha-?" Sasuke croaked. His lips were chapped and his voice sounded raw.

"Shhh, don't try talking until you have some water. You're safe now. Those knuckleheads lost you and made me track you down. There is a scratch on your side I want to heal, but you don't have any broken bones, which is good."

"Who?"

Sakura almost rolled her eyes. She had just told him not to talk but of course that was too much to ask for from a kid.

"My name is Sakura, I live out here in the woods. You've been ding dong ditching my house if you can remember back that far. Now shush, I need to look at this."

He didn't say anything as Sakura pulled up his shirt and ran a glowing green hand over the long red scab. She burned away the infection first before retracing the path with her hand once more and sealing the broken pieces of flesh back together. After a couple more passes there was nothing more than a pink scar running down his side.

Sakura reached over and picked up one side of his shoulder before scooping the rest of him into her arms bridal style. He reached to wrap his little arms around her neck, pulling himself close. Sasuke made a sound of protest but she ignored it. He wasn't about to leap through the hole in the roots on his own, so he would just have to put up with it for now.

When she emerged Chainsaw was barking happily and running around in circles while Mop and Souta still whined and sniffed at her legs, checking once more to see if she was okay. They could both tell that something was still wrong with her, but she would have to wait until later to tell her it was all about ROOT and some of her worst fears.

"Waffles, I hate to ask, but those two can't keep up with us. Would you mind?" Sakura asked, looking to the largest of her pack.

The big black wolf dog settled down and bowed her head, waiting for the two boys to mount her back. She was big enough to carry Sakura so two eight year olds were no problem.

"We get to ride the dog!"

Naruto screamed in delight, forgetting all about Sasuke for a second as he launched himself at the wolf and scrambled up her back. Waffles grunted in annoyance when he slipped and pulled at her coat, but didn't growl or bite.

Sai looked between Waffles and Sakura, before bowing to the shinobi and then making a much smoother mount onto the wolf dog's back.

"Look at us Sasuke, I'm riding the witch's dog! Woohoo!"

Sakura clicked her tongue at the title. "I told you I'm not-oh never mind. Come on, back to the house." her eyes drifted to her pack members and then back to the boys on Waffles' back. "Feeding time I guess."

Without waiting for short legs to catch up, Sakura took off with Sasuke in her arms and the rest of her pack kept up easily. More than usual, the dogs ran faster for the food that waited for them once they were back at the house. It was almost their dinner time.

The trek took little to no time at all and everyone arrived back without further incident. As much as Sakura wanted to relax and breath easy, she dropped extra trigger traps along the way and sent off Mop and Souta to dust the perimeter with extra traps and sensing seals.

Naruto was still whooping as Waffles brought him and Sai into the house. With a huff the female ninken lay down atop the rug in Sakura's living room and waited for the boys to dismount. Sai left easily on his own, but when Naruto tried to argue he should be allowed to stay, Waffles rolled over with him still on her back, squishing him just enough to be playful but not enough to be harmful.

"She doesn't like to be clung to. Get over here, brat, and tell me what you can eat," Sakura called from the kitchen. Dango's ears stood up at the word 'eat' and Chainsaw went stiff, drooling from the mouth. She had deposited Sasuke onto the couch but since then he hadn't moved, content to watch from his seat.

Naruto was the first to react, racing into the kitchen and skidding across the dirty floor in his socks to stop just shy of her refrigerator.

"Do you have any ramen?"

Sakura scoffed. "Of course I have ramen, but is that what you really want before I take you back?"

"Ramen, ramen, ramen," Naruto began to cheer, jumping up and down in place.

When Sakura looked over she saw Sasuke still seemed a bit stunned, absently petting Chainsaw who had climbed up into his lap while Sai watched on. Neither boy seemed half a lively as Naruto or as willing to share what they wanted.

"Fine, ramen it is," Sakura sighed.

She assembled the materials, insisting on adding vegetables to the otherwise sodium heavy meal. While the water heated on her stove Sakura got out four eggs and a package of ham that was still good. She added these to the noodles once they softened and then replaced the ramen lids atop the bowls.

When Sakura turned around with four bowls on a tray she saw that the rest of her pack had joined them and Sai, Sasuke, and Naruto had each amused themselves with one or more of them.

Waffles moved away whenever Naruto reached for her, but Mop was happy enough to sneak in an steal any pets that might have been meant for the much larger ninken. Somehow Sai had found one of Souta's combs and was brushing through the slender dog's coat until it shone. Souta looked happy all over while Sasuke continued to scratch and pet Chainsaw from the couch.

"Oi, to the table you three. I need to feed the dogs."

Mop howled first, his tail wagging so hard and fast it shook his whole rear end. Souta pulled away from Sai and started to run in circles. Dango shared a look with Waffles that Sakura guessed to be something condescending about the younger pups.

There was a secondary freezer she kept prime cuts for the dogs in the mud room. She set these out and made sure Chainsaw was eating his regular 'puppy kibble' in place of the tougher food.

When Sakura came back into the room Sasuke was the last one climbing into his seat at the kitchen table. It was barely big enough for the three of them, but when Sakura sat down it was even more crowded. She picked up her bowl and pushed her chair back enough to rest it on her lap.

"So, I know where I'm bringing  _you_ ," she said while pointing to Sasuke, "but where the heck am I going to take the two of you?"

"The Shimura's orphanage," Sai answered for Naruto. "We're both wards there."

Sakura felt the heat of the bowl through her fingers but suddenly there was a new feeling all throughout her body. She felt numb all over. "What?"

"The  _Shimura_  Orphanage, it's a place where kids go who want to become shinobi like me, cause one day I'm gonna be Hokage!"

Sakura forgot how to rage. Her anger rolled under the surface like a leviathan trapped beneath translucent ice. She felt her face go still and cold as all the angles on her went straight.

" _Your history with Councilman Danzo Shimura is unfortunate, but reprimations have been made and he is still an esteemed council member and I am still the Sandaime."_

The Hokage had claimed that Danzo disbanded ROOT, but villains like that didn't change their tune after being caught and forgiven. Danzo had put on a good show for his old friend, washed his hands in the light before hiding them out of sight behind his back to do the devil's deeds.

Sakura didn't doubt that the orphanage was some sort of front to cover another cell of ROOT recruits. And if that was true then it meant the boys are her table, minus Sasuke, showed promise somehow.

Sakura stretched her chakra out, running it over the two orphans and Chainsaw perked up when he caught sniff of what she was trying to do. He barked at Naruto, making the blond laugh. Between the two of them, he was the easy powerhouse with as much chakra as he already had. Sakura couldn't remember ever feeling so much chakra in a person, much less a person so small. The further she pressed the thicker his chakra seemed.

"Tell me about this orphanage," Sakura said with false nonchalance. It was wasted on children who couldn't appreciate how well she lied.

"It's boring and stupid, that's why Sai and I always run away," Naruto answered first. "I've only lived there for a little while. I was at a different orphanage before and I didn't do nothing there, but at least I get to train to be Hokage one day."

He babeled so easily.

"What's your last name, kid?" Sakura asked, hating how a thrill in her gut told her she wouldn't like what she heard.

His smile was so wide it took over his whole face. "Naruto Uzamaki!"

The words came out and Sakura could no longer unsee Kushina in his smile. She hadn't seen her child since he was spirited away the night of the nine tailed fox attack, but Sakura had heard the rumors. There was a special cell designated with monitoring the kid as it grew while the rest of the village was banned from every speaking of the event.

' _Because suppressing the truth is always the answer for these sort of things.'_ Her mind sounded like it was full of acid.

There is only so stupid one can be allowed when they are in charge of an entire village. There had never been an overabundance with the authority in power or the Hokage personally, but when she considered the facts that Danzo was raising the Jinchūriki...she felt more and more of her chip away. Soon there would be nothing left of her aside from her rage.

Sakura forced her eyes down, staring at the noodles of her ramen when Mop came up behind her and sniffed at her heels. The rest of her pack could tell she was distressed about something and she knew she needed to be better at hiding or else have half them howling at her.

"Sasuke, can we sleep over tonight? I don't want to have to go back again if you're going to go missing," said Naruto.

"Dobe, no way is my family letting you do that," Sasuke grumbled, ducking his head.

"But you let Sai sleep over in the past."

"Sai isn't loud and annoying."

Sai smiled over his half finished ramen. "You forget, idiot, that we have training in the morning with Kinoto san."

Sakura suppressed the growl. "What is an ANBU level jonin doing training eight year olds?"

She saw Sai's reaction and clued into it like a bloodhound with a scent. He had flinched for some reason and was trying to cover it up.

"Ah, I'm not sure what that means, but Kinoto san is like our older brother and helps some of us train once a week."

"It's the only time we get to train," Naruto adds. "I've only done it a few times."

"How long have you been at the orphanage, Naruto? Can you remember the number of days or months?"

Sakura tried to look casual by moving a heavy chunk of noodles into her mouth to slurp the rest of the way up. At her heel Mop whined for a different reason so she bopped him on the nose with her toe.

He looked thoughtful for a moment before looking back at her. "I think it's been three months almost." Cause I still need to wait for a bed. I'm still sharing with Sai all the time and he says I kick too much in my sleep."

"What are you thinking?" Dango growled at her, low under her breath. He kept his voice low but it didn't help, the others still heard him. Sakura reached behind her to scratch behind his ear but he pulled away.

"I'm not thinking about anything, just that maybe I need to make another trip," Sakura growled back, using human speech.

With a huff she got up to deposit her empty bowl in the sink. She ran the water turned it over to clean better when she came back. She was surprised to see Sasuke waiting at the sink next to her with his empty bowl. He offered it to her and she took it with a short nod of acknowledgment.

"Are you going to take me back home soon?" he asked as she washed his bowl in the sink.

"Yeah, as soon as those two yahoos finish their food. Why?"

Sakura looked back over her shoulder to see the youngest Uchiha staring at the dogs under her table. He wasn't too unlike his brother. She remembered Itachi being fascinated with Chainsaw.

"I'll take the pack with us, they usually travel with me wherever I go. Chainsaw even stays inside my jacket most of the time."

Sai came over to hand off his and Naruto's bowles. Naruto was under the table trying to catch Mop's paws. Every time Naruto reached for one the shaggy wolfhound would move it just out of his way.

When they got outside Sakura had Naruto and Sai mount Waffles again before turning to Sasuke. She didn't think he would want to be carried again, but none of the other dogs were really suited to carrying.

Sakura knelt down and pointed to her back. "You mind if it's just me? It'll be faster this way and you'll get home sooner."

Sasuke nodded politely and climbed onto her back while Souta ran around them in a circle, eager for the race. The sleek white dog was the fastest, after all.

As a unit they moved together, pressing into the wing like they were desperate or something. Sakura didn't feel like taking a slower pace once they started moving. She wondered, absently, it maybe that was because thoughts of Danzo and the rebranding of ROOT made her so angry.

For whatever reason, it wasn't long or late when Sakura touched down on the fence outside the outermost limits of the Uchiha districts. She remembered when the Uchiha had been scattered throughout the village before they had been issued orders to relocate as a collective in predesignated areas. Obito would have hated it if he was still alive to see it. She knew Kakashi sensei had hated to watch it all happen.

' _The Uchiha are just as bad as any other can that's locked away and forced to face themselves exclusively. They're not going to be interacting with the rest of the village as much.'_

' _And is that a bad thing?'_

" _Maa, well, we shall see._ '

The memory made a bruised part of her heart ache but she ignored it in favor for stepping over the fence into Uchiha territories. She felt the eyes on her instantly, whereas before they had been fairly hidden.

"It's Sakura senpai!"

Sakura suppressed a groan as she turned with Sasuke still on her back to face the incoming figure. Behind her Sasuke huffed in agitation as well.

"He always steals my big brother away for stupid training," Sasuke supplied.

Shisui stopped right in front of her and smiled wide. He did a good job ignoring the dogs circling him and her, looking to Sasuke first. "I see you brought back my troublesome cousin. We were almost worried about him, but we figured he was with his friends."

Sakura grunted. "Ah, about that. I need to talk to your uncle about it." The scroll was still heavy in her pocket and she hoped that Fugaku Uchiha was still willing to talk to her like he had when she was training under him.

"Uncle?" Shisui looked over Sasuke, or what little he could see of his cousin, before his eyes trailed to Naruto and Sai on the large wolf's back. "I can take you there but those two will have to wait outside. I can stay with them if you promise to come back for them," he teased.

"Fair enough," Sakura grumbled. "Lead the way."

It was all for formality's sake, since she knew where Fugaku lived and how to get to his house, in spite of only having visited it once since the big move years ago. She doubted it was as nice, but any home with Mikoto would be pleasant.

"Is Itachi nii back home yet?" Sasuke asked, leaning over Sakura's shoulder while they walked.

"Ah, I think so. He was busy this morning through. You might be able to find him if you look really hard." Shisui grinned a little too hard and his smile seemed fake. "You want to get off Sakura senpai's back now?"

Sasuke shook his head and buried his chin in her hair.

"Little brat."

"Leave it alone, Shisui. He's no worse than you."

Shisui whined playfully. "How am I so terrible?"

Sakura kept her gaze focused on where they were going. "I'm pretty sure you remember more than you let on. Last time we met you had a hard time not hanging on, yourself."

"What does that mean?" Sasuke asked, staring a bit too intently at his older cousin. Shisui's smile faltered just a fraction.

"Nothing minors need concern themselves with," Shisui muttered under his breath before increasing his pace and pulling ahead.

"What is a miner."

"No idea," Sakura lied easily. "Maybe he thinks you're going to go work in a mine or something one day. Is that why you all have such dark hair, from the mine's coal or something?"

He sounded like she had said the most offensive thing possible and she wondered how deep his pride was at such a young age when he began to wiggle on her back. "No, I'm going to be a shinobi like my brother and all the others, not some stinky miner!"

"Yeah, Sasuke is going to be a shinobi like us," Naruto cheered.

"Dobe, not like you. I'm going to be like my big brother who is so much cooler." There was color high on his cheeks when Sasuke spoke about his brother.

Sakura almost stopped when she sensed the familiar chakra, but kept walking until they were at the house. When they stopped it was Fugaku who was at the door to greet them.

"Haruno kun, it's been a long time. I see you found my wayward son." Fugaku Uchiha turned to look at Sasuke and frowned. "Sasuke, we will talk about running off for such long periods without warning later. Go now and wash vegetables for dinner with your mother. It will be your job to set the table.

Sasuke dropped his head mournfully. "Yes otou san."

Sakura let him slide off her back but caught him by the wrist before he could leave to go inside. "Actually, Fugaku san, there's a little more to it than just running off to play. Might I come in to have a word with you…" she inclined her head, "in private?"

The clan head glanced over to the dogs where Sai and Naruto were sitting. Shisui stepped in and waved his uncle off. "I got it, I'll watch these kids outside while you talk. Sakura can pick them up later," he winked at her, "from  _me_."

Fugaku's gaze was frosty. "Don't embarrass the good name, Shisui," he sighed. Fugaku sounded like a man who had exhausted himself on worthless warnings. With Shisui, that wasn't hard to believe.

"Haruno kun, inside please."

She followed him in with only Chainsaw in her jacket, knowing where they would go. As expected, Fugaku Uchiha took her to a back room pre painted with silencing seals to make it as private as chakra could guarantee.

Before he could sit down behind the desk Sakura tossed the scroll at him. Fugaku caught it before he knew what he was doing. When he unrolled it the red of his eyes glowed.

"Where did you get this?"

"Off the body of what I suspected to be a ROOT cell agent. He was ready to go up against an Uchiha and he claimed he was acting on orders from the inside."

"That….does sound like ROOT. How do you know he was not lying? They are not known for divulging their secrets."

"You're right, he couldn't say much more than that because of some seal, but he did kill himself before I could get anything more out of him. I don't have proof, just what my gut tells me."

"I remember your gut being very accurate back in the day," he hummed while rolling the scroll back up.

Sakura tried to forget how frustrated she was on the inside from how the nin died so quickly and so easily. "It's been a while and gut feelings aren't going to do what solid proof could do."

Fugaku Uchiha stared past her at the door and Sakura saw his expressions go tight from the thought of something. "Sasuke...was he… did you find him without injury?"

"He was a little scratched up, but that was from the rough handling. I'm guessing his sharingan isn't something they would want to steal at this age, correct?"

"Sasuke has not awakened it, no, but Itachi has. They were after that."

"I'm not surprised. You're more fortunate than the Hyuga in that regard, since their dōjutsu kekkei genkai can be stolen at any age. At least Uchiha with sharingan are typically Uchiha who can defend themselves." Sakura paused before adding, "They underestimated Itachi if they thought they could get him with such weak cell agents."

Fugaku sighed. "Indeed."

Sakura noticed the deep lines of stress that had only grown longer and more pronounced since she last saw the Uchiha clan head. Gray hair, which was so uncommon in the Uchiha until very late in life, started to creep along his temple.

It they were making little Itachi into an ANBU operative it was only because of his skill. No was was eager to promote the Uchiha until public favor swayed more their way. Sakura didn't doubt Itachi was letal in his own way.

"This has not been the first incident by a long shot, and I doubt it will be the last, but it is one of the most troubling. They targeted Itachi because of his age, thinking he would be weak. They didn't even pause to consider his position as clan heir."

Sakura's intel wasn't the best because of her one laziness, but she knew enough to know that fewer and fewer promotions were being made for the Uchiha. They were also granted less and less access to the training fields and resources. One argument for this was that the Uchiha were too privileged and didn't want to share resources, and yet the Hyuga were entitled their central compound lands and training facilities without issue.

For as fair as he liked to believe Leaf was, the Hokage was blind to the inconvenient injustices right under his nose.

"There isn't a lot of low hanging fruit to pick from if someone is really fishing for the sharingan. How many kids in your clan are there with the sharingan developed?" Sakura made a face and then waved her hand. "Never mind, don't tell me that, I don't want to know."

"You were only trying to help. I'm grateful, Haruno kun. Will you stay for dinner? I feel we must thank you with more than just words this time."

"As lovely as that sounds I'm afraid I can't. I have two bite sized snacks I have to return to the orphanage, but once I'm back to semi active duty I'll be sure to drop in for a dinner with your family."

"I do not envy you your chore. While I doubt you'll have to engage with Danzo, the establishment his family runs is just as pleasant as he is." Fugaku chuckled when he saw the dark look cross Sakura's features. "Ah, and while I understand how it might seem, the orphanage is part of the restatutions he is required to make to the village. His work there is under heavy surveillance and nothing untoward has been done about Kushina's child. Too many eyes are watching for even Danzo to try something."

In spite of his words Sakura could hear the cut of thinly masked sarcasm from Fugaku when he spoke of Danzo. He trusted the elder as much as she did.

"There's no way to get him out of there?"

"He's not really up for adoption, no."

"Shame he has to endure such a fate then."

Fugaku chuckled. "Why? Thinking of slowing down and picking up a kid or two of your own?"

Sakura's glare wasn't truly as threatening as it normally was, but it was one that insisted on the end of jokes.

"You're not your wife, so watch it, Uchiha san."

In spite of their situation and the dower news Sakura brought with her, Fugaku managed a mischievous grin. "Oh, it's 'Uchiha san' now, I'm sorry Haruno kun. I didn't know it was so sensitive a topic."

"You wouldn't understand the complexities of a maiden's heart."

"Maybe not, but I did marry one. Are you sure you don't want any free advice?"

Sakura groaned but turned towards the door. A small part of her heart was greatful Obito's older cousin was still able to joke around with her in spite of his situation, but she didn't let it show. He was still treating her like a kid.

She made it to the front where she left her sandals before she heard something. The front door was still closed but she could hear Shisui speaking on the other side. She only noticed because she heard her name. When she glanced back over her shoulder at Fugaku he was grimacing.

"You really wanted to give me pointers?" Sakura huffed. "You think I need them?"

"Pointers for the  _right_  sort, Haruno kun."

Sakura rolled her eyes and then stood. When she rolled the front door back Shisui didn't even flinch.

"And then her sensei finally showed up, but by then we had already been chased by his pack all through the red li-ah, Sakura chan!"

"What stupid stories are you filling their heads with?" she growled, hands folded across her chest.

"Ah, they wanted to know how I knew you and what sort of person you were because someone didn't believe you were really a shinobi because you weren't wearing your headband when you picked these brats up."

"Hey, we're not brats!" Naruto hollered.

"Shut up kid," Shisui hissed, hardly looking back at Naruto at all.

"I'm not wearing one because I'm technically retired and not on active duty," Sakura said, looking around Shisui to where Naruto hid between Waffles' front legs. Sai was laying down on her back, content to stay there lightly brushing back thick tufts of fur.

"Does that mean she's a ton older than you?" Naruto asked innocently.

Sakura screwed her eyes shut to keep from glaring or looking sideways at Shisui to see his expression. She didn't care about being called old, she really didn't, she really didn't,  _shereallydidn't_.

"Come on, we're dropping you brats off and then I'm heading back home."

She walked past Waffles and stuffed her hands deep into the pockets of her nin trousers, loose around the thigh and tied up around the ankles.

"Wait, Sakura, I wanted to ask you if you would-"

"Shisui, I need you to retrieve Itachi."

"But-"

"Urgently. I won't ask again."

Sakura smirked to herself as she strolled out with the boys who were mostly helpful about providing her with directions back to the orphanage.

It didn't take long, and before the equivalent of dinner time, Sakura had picked out the place not far from the Hokage tower that served as the prohanage. As she suspected, surveillance was high. Even if it was Danzo, anything done nearby would be noticed.

"Danzo isn't even here most of the time, I don't know what you are making that face for," Naruto huffed, watching Sakura's face as it contorted at the sight of their home.

Sai turned to Naruto to correct him, even as he slid of Waffles' back. "It's Danzo sama, not Sanzo, so remember to be polite."

Naruto groaned loudly and threw his hands behind his head. "Ugh, I don't want to and you can't make me!"

Someone from inside called out to the boys and a woman with facial scarring appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on her apron. She wore a simple yukata and had her hair pinned up in a low bun. Sakura asses her in a moment and considered her a low threat. No doubt she had some shinobi background if she looked like that and was working for Danzo, but Sakura didn't sense a large store of chakra or any particular aura of danger from the woman. Chainsaw didn't seem to mind her either.

"Alright, that's it for me, babysitting is done for the day. Stay out of my woods next time," Sakura grumbled with her shoulders hiked up. She turned and started to walk away.

"Thank you witch shinobi san!" Naruto hollered loudly, waving and jumping. Sakura just hiked her shoulders up higher to hide the color burning her ears.

"You don't think he is in any danger there?" Dango asked once they were far away enough.

"Not with the surveillance on the place looking like that. But who knows how lax it may grow in time. There's no telling."

"Once Naruto graduates from the academy he won't need to live in an orphanage. That's only a few years from now if he has any talent."

Sakura glanced down at the doberman and pursed her lips. "What are you getting at?"

"You're the one that tells others to look underneath the underneath."

Sakura felt something race up her spine, something like a thrill. "And?"

"Put that brain of yours to use. I know you still have it."

"Don't patronize me, mutt. I'm not so pathetic as to deserve your teasing. I know, I know. Just like you I heard what Naruto said."

_Danzo isn't even here most of the time…_

Naruto wasn't worth it if Danzo wanted to make him into a ROOT member, but he was useful for one thing. With all the crazy surveillance watching to make sure he didn't try anything with the Jinchūriki, no one really paid so much attention to what Danzo did elsewhere.

" _Shit_."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sakura's Pack!
> 
> Mop- Irish Wolfhound He's the teeth of the pack  
> Souta - Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound) He's the speed of the pack  
> Dango- Doberman pinscher- He's the voice of the pack  
> Chainsaw- Jack Russell Terrier He's the sensor of the pack (and the baby)  
> Waffles- Wolf She's the terror and the stealth of the pack


	3. Chapter 3

_THINGS WE LOST TO THE FIRE  Chapter3_

Things we lost to the flame  
Things we'll never see again  
 **All that we've amassed**  
Sits before us, shattered into ash

* * *

_Years later, living alone in the woods with half a dozen dogs, questionable reading material, and crippling attachment issues, Sakura realizes she turned into her teacher. Agebent Sakura Sensei_

* * *

The nights were cold and when the nights were cold the second best thing to do was get an extra blanket. Sakura rarely needed extra blankets though for as long as she had the bodies of her pack insisting on curling around her as she slept.

Sakura had naturally gravitated to the center of her bed in a ball that mop curled around, that Souta encircled from behind, that even Dango laid againsts. Chainsaw insisted on making himself into a ball behind her knees, keeping her pinned in place under the toasted covers.

The cold never bothered Sakura much, but on those nights when it was especially cold or especially dark, Waffles would slip in from outside, tracking mud through the wood floor halls to settle down at the foot of her bed.

She used to be small enough to fit, but as the months grew her bones, the wolf dog grew beyond the bed's she would lay down and only rest her head on the bed, looking like a decapitated wolf beyond the edge of the covers. Only on the very worst nights did she still try to crawl in around her partner and handler.

Sakura woke in the middle of the night without screaming, but her body was vibrating and her breathing was unsteady. Mop tried to drag his body closer to her, press her face into his fur and smother her in his familiar scent. He whined low and locked at the elbow.

She reached up and curled her fingers into the long grey of his coat, catching a patch of weak tangles she could pick apart. By the time his coat was perfect the nightmares had finished sinking back into the furthest corners of her mind.

Dango watched her in the night without speaking, but Mop was vocal in his own way about pressing Sakura for reassurance that she really was alright. Out of her entire pack, Mop, with some of the strongest jaws and keenest instincts, was the softest of heart.

"Come here" she whispered, reaching for Mop and dragging herself closer to his side.

He adjusted so that her head was beside his front legs and his head was folded over her body. Behind her Souta crawled closer, making sure his body was a crescent moon of white around her. Chainsaw stirred, but settled back easily without complaint.

"Was it because of Danzo?" Dango asked in the dark.

Sakura looked up and saw the outline of the doberman highlighted by filtered moonlight. His eyes were shimmering discs of antique glass staring down at her from on high. He blinked once and she remembered herself.

"There is no reason for the ghosts we grow within ourselves. They come and go as they please."

"Only if we let them."

Sakura kept her eyes close and inhaled the musk of Mop's rain dried coat. He smelled like the earth, like the soil, like the trees, like the rain that douses all of it. He smelled like home and it helped ground her in reality.

She wasn't lost between the islands of a far away country, or slipping through cracks in the rocky terrain that shifted and swelled at the behest of a jutsu expert far more skilled than she. She smelled home and knew she wasn't in danger anymore. Her nightmares were tied to too many places for Danzo to take all the credit.

"I'm fine," Sakura lied.

One day she would be able to believe herself. She just needed to say it again another hundred thousand times and maybe it would become true. Maybe she had that sort of power over reality. Maybe.

Sakura ducked her head, pressing her chin to her chest and let her breathing even out. She sank back into a sleep that was blissfully free of dreams this time around.

This time.

* * *

"Oh hells no," Sakura muttered under her breath when she saw who it was that had Chainsaw scratching at her ankles.

She bent down to scoop the dog into her arms and then jump up into the branches of a tree that did a fair enough job of hiding her. She crouched there and waited.

Sasuke, the younger Uchiha son, stalked forward with his head bent over something wrapped up in his arms. Sai followed close behind, calm enough that Sakura doubted he was actually causing any annoyance in the Uchiha. Behind them trailed the scruffy Jinchūriki, looking like he had tumbled through a thorn thicket.

'Or he was kicked into one,' she thought snidely.

Chainsaw whined and looked out behind them and Sakura sensed it too, after a moment to focus more intently. There was an ANBU guards trailing a a distance. Whoever it was stopped short and stayed put while Naruto and the others trekked on.

Sakura thought it odd that the ANBU didn't follow Naruto into the forest, since he was likely the guard the Hokage had issued to be on Naruto duty for the day.

As the thought occurred to her the chakra flickered and the ANBU dashed out of range, heading back down into the village. It wasn't that different from the incident last week, when Naruto was at her door with Sai, begging for help in locating Sasuke. No ANBU had been tailing him then.

Why?

"They're heading towards your house," Dango said, kneeling down on a branch above her. His ears twitched as he listened to the chatter of the younger academy age children.

"I figured. My guess is that Sasuke is bringing leftovers." Sakura pointed to the box in his hand. It was pastel colored and decorated in flowers. "His mom gave him the least Uchiha bento box they had."

Dango snorted. "You could use it. You're almost out of ramen, though heaven knows how you're not sick of it yet."

"It's an acquired taste." At least it wasn't rations or soldier pills.

"It's disgusting."

"Shut up, it's not like I make you eat it."

Sakura jumped away to another tree closer to the kids. With the better vantage point she could see where they headed and there was no doubt about it; there was no place other than her house for a dozen or so good miles of course they were on the pathway that lead to her front door. She wondered what they would do when she didn't answer for them.

Sasuke knocked and waited, shifting from one foot to the other. After a minute he knocked again. When Sai said something he turned back and snapped at the boy. Naruto groaned loudly and pushed both boys aside to bang on the door. Even without chakra Sakura could hear him screaming for her to open up.

"What a monster," Dango huffed.

Sakura winced at the tone but looked up to address Dango. "You're telling me. No wonder the ANBU aren't tracking him this far out. They can still hear him from wherever they are."

Sai said something that made Naruto stop and as one, all three boys leaned in to listen to something on the other side of the door...or something missing from the other side of the door. There was no barking, no dogs, and no sign of life.

Sai then pushed the two aside and tried the door's handle. On a whim Sakura suppressed the trigger jutsu that would have sprung a light flash bang in their faces. The seal hidden under the welcome mat shivered but Sakura forced the energy back down and saved it to trigger for another time.

Sasuke looked panicked as Naruto hollered in delight to race inside. Sakura wasn't surprised. The blond was loud, annoying, and somewhat rude with his titles and addresses of others, of course he would be a nosey snoop.

Sai must have said something to convince Sasuke, something that had to do with the leftover food he pointed to. Sasuke made a face, hesitating before ducking his head and following Naruto into the house. Sakura held the trigger for the trap down as Sai stepped over it as well.

"What are you going to do now?" Dango asked. "Mop and Souta want to know if they should come back."

"Did they find anything?"

Dango shook his head. "The perimeter is all clear. Waffles also said the interior was bare of intruders. She wasn't able to find any sign of anyone new."

Sakura huffed but closed her eyes and channeled a light flow of chakra into her ears, amplifying their sensitivity. She pushed aside the sounds of nature, the rustle of life in the trees and along the forest floor. She filtered it all out until only the sounds and voices in her home rang true.

"What if she comes back?" She guessed that was Sasuke, since it sounded most like him. His voice wavered on a whisper.

"Then we tell her the truth, we're here to deliver food as a thank you for her help when you were lost."

Sakura wasn't sure, but she was willing to bet that the voice she heard belonged to Sai. It was smooth and practiced, like he had taken his words to a sanding stone and kept them there until they shone like polished pieces.

"Where are the doggies?"

Sakura winced. She didn't need chakra to know it was Naruto's voice she heard hollering through her halls. He was loud enough all on his own. Unlike Sasuke he didn't whisper and unlike Sai, his natural tone wasn't soft and smooth.

"We're not here to look for her dogs, and they're not pets, I told you already," Sasuke hissed.

"They're doggies, of course they're pets," Naruto retorted.

"They're ninken, they're like, ninja dogs," Sasuke supplied on a mutter. "Dad said some of them could even talk if they wanted to, like a summon."

"Are they summons, do you know?" Sai asked, sounding too keen to not be interested.

"No, I don't know that. I-I didn't ask dad any more. He didn't look like he wanted to talk any more about it the other night, okay."

"When she gets here can we ask her that?" Naruto asked.

"You want to stay here that long?" said Sai.

There was almost an undertone of amusement there, but it didn't feel genuine. It was almost… unintentionally condescending. He was such a stiff kid, Sakura wondered if he wasn't being groomed for ROOT already. He was young, but Sakura knew they started younger sometimes.

Sasuke spoke up next. "What if she's mad we snuck in here? Even if the door was unlocked, you're not supposed to go inside someone's house without being invited. It-it could even be trapped."

"If it was trapped there would have been a discharge of chakra and some sort of reaction by now. Did you see anything like that or hear any sort of explosion?" Sai waited for an answer from either boy and when nothing came he went on. "There's nothing to worry about."

"He-hey dobe, why are you going in there? That's not the kitchen."

"Shut up Sasuke teme, I didn't get to see this room last time. I think it's a bedroom. Ugh, look at all the dog hair. It's going to make me sneeze. You think she keeps weapons in here or are her dogs like her only weapons."

"We should go," Sasuke urged.

"Calm down, teme, we just got here. I want to look around a bit more. We can be fast. In and out and no one will know any different, okay."

"You can't deny you aren't curious, two faced," Sai added. Sakura remembered that his nickname for Sasuke was something like two-faced, but didn't know why.

"Shut up, you," Sasuke hissed, an edge to his voice. "Don't talk to me like you know me any better than the moron over there."

There was a tense moment before Sai exhaled. "Sure, if that is what you want to say. But may I at least say that I am also curious about this person who is so well connected with your father while still living so far away from the village. She's not from a clan, you said so yourself. We don't know that much ourselves, but we should if she's really important. Didn't you said your brother knew her."

Sasuke growled in what Sakura assumed to be irritation. "I said my brother knew  _of_  her. They met before but he didn't say anything more about it. Besides, my brother is super busy. He has a lot of important people he has to talk to and I'm sure he knows most of the people in the village."

"Yeah, your brother is already a shinobi," Naruto added. "Maybe they go out on missions together sometimes and he can't talk about it cause all the ninja are super secret with their mission stuff. Like, Iruka sensei doesn't tell us anything about the old missions he has been on or stuff like that which is borning!"

Sakura almost slipped on the tree branch, but cover it up by looking like she was adjusting herself. Dango eyed her knowingly but she refused to look at his face and give herself away.

"They're in the academy already," Dango hummed.

"Shut up, I figured that much out myself. Classes just started this past week." She recalled hearing that over her shoulder at the dinner celebrating Itachi and Iruka's promotion.

"It would explain why we haven't seen them until the weekend."

Sakura snorted. "Did you miss them that much?"

Dango laid down, resting his head on his paws. "A little. It can get boring with just you and the pack for company all the time. We don't even take missions anymore so don't blame me for what I say."

Sakura turned her attention back to the house and refocused her efforts on channeling her chakra into her ears. She hadn't missed much, but they were talking about school and classes. She listened to them go on about their classmates until one of the exclaimed about finding something interesting. One of them cursed and said to, 'put the panel back, dobe!'

"They found your weapon stash."

"One of my weapon stashes," Sakura corrected.

The one they stumbled upon likely had the most useless items, all her really important weapons were sealed away, but she did like to keep some things on display. Still, the fact that they had managed to locate the spring panel was impressive. Either someone had good instincts or they got lucky.

"I don't know how to put it back, teme! Help meeeeee."

' _Lucky_ ,' Sakura decided.

"What if they hurt themselves on something?" Dango asked, climbing to his feet. He lowered his head and looked to her, waiting for a signal.

"Fine, I guess it is time I show up and scare the shit out of them," Sakura grumbled.

"Please don't be excessive," Dango whined.

Sakura reached into her vest and scratched Chainsaw behind the ear. He licked her fingers in appreciation. "You can call the others here. I don't care if they hear."

In the next moment Sakura was a flicker on the tree branch that reappeared on the mat of her front door. She passed over the trigger seal without incident and deactivated chakra triggered traps as she went. None of the kids, not even Naruto, were a threat to trigger any of them. Also, the tykes were so short they skipped over a whole cluster of them.

None of them heard her as she slipped into her bedroom behind all three of them. Sasuke hung back, still gripping the bento box to his chest as Sai tried to help Naruto push a piece of the wall back into place. Behind it were the decorative blades that were more ceremonial than useful. She doubted they would be able to hurt themselves on dull blades.

"You have to line the bottom piece up with the track," Sakura calmly stated, leaning over Sasuke's shoulder and pointing to the bottom where the two pieces go together.

Sasuke went stiff, refusing to turn around. Sai face her, stilling when he saw her. Naruto was the last to notice her presence. He actually grunted a thanks while he tried to do as she instructed before he realized who he was thanking. When he did he dropped the wood panel and screamed, pointing at her.

"You!"

"Me," Sakura mutely echoed.

"You!" Naruto hollered once more. "What are you doing here?"

Sakura looked at him through narrowed eyes. "I….live here? Shouldn't I be asking you what you're doing here, in my house, in my bedroom, in my weapon stash?"

"We didn't break it," Naruto rushed to say. "It was like this when we found it."

"Idiot," Sai sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "As if anyone would be that stupid."

Sakura just hummed before bending down over Sasuke and pointing to the box in his hands. "Is that from your mother?"

Mutely, he lifted it up like an offering presented to a bloodthirsty god. The fear in his eyes was funny and she hated to admit it, because that meant Dango had a point about it being boring with just the pack and no missions for a year.

"It smells good," Sakura commented, taking the bento from his stiff fingers and lifting it to her nose. "I'll have to thank her next time I'm local."

Sakura didn't say or do anything more in the room, but took the bento box to her kitchen and found room for it in her refrigerator. It wasn't hard since there wasn't much left. She was running low on supplies.

Maybe tomorrow she would go down into the village for food and groceries. While she was down there she could also ask about the status of her retirement. She thought she would have received word on the status change by now.

"You're not going to report us to the Hokage for breaking and entering?" Sasuke asked, coming into the room after her. Naruto was hiding behind him and Sai trailed in after the duo, looking less afraid and more blank.

"Why would I do that? The door was unlocked, wasn't it?" Sakura asked. "It can't be breaking and entering if you didn't break anything."

"What about your closet door?" Naruto asked in a voice that sounded more like a squeak.

"That's less broken and more...just in need of being put back. It's all beside the point, though. And it's not like it matters that much to the hokage what a bunch of kids are doing on their day off."

"How did you know it was our day off?" Naruto asked, pushing forward a little more now that he wasn't so afraid of being reported to the Hokage.

"Simple." Sakura raised a single finger waiting for them to lean in before she answered. "I'm not an idiot."

Naruto literally fell forward. "Oi, what is that supposed to mean?" he screamed.

"Literally what I just said. Everyone knows the academy is closed on the weekends and you're all the perfect age to start classes."

"Wow, auntie is smart then," Naruto hummed, smile back in place.

"Don't call me auntie, please," Sakura groaned. She thought she might get whiplash from all the moodswings this kid went through.

"Where are your dogs, auntie?"

Sakura groaned to herself, already tempted to kick the blond kid out and go back to the quiet. Even if she was bored to tears, at least her ears were not bleeding.

"Getting ready to eat the trespassers," she dryly commented.

"Where?!"

Naruto dramatically crouched and looked around in each direction. Sakura wasn't sure if he was searching for dogs or trespassers or if he even knew himself. Sasuke and Sai both looked as tired as she felt.

"How do you keep up with him?" she whispered, looking to Sasuke.

The young Uchiha stared up at her for a minute before Sai pushed forward and raised a finger.

"You can punch him. He usually heals really fast and he doesn't seem to mind it as much. It's what we do," Sai answered in place of Sasuke.

"I guess that would work for you, but if I did that it would be child abuse."

"Nah, the adults at the orphanage beat Naruto all the time. No one notices though because he heals really fast and he always is super dirty."

Sakura felt a frisson of discomfort race up her spine. "The adults beat Naruto. Why?" She kneeled down to be eye level with Sai. "Explain this to me."

Sai stared at her with wide blank eyes and then his head started to tilt to the side like a bird's. She waited for him to speak but didn't rush him. "Naruto is annoying. The only one who doesn't mind is Nonō Yakushi san, but she is often gone. When the other caretakers are in charge Naruto will be hit if he does something bad, like a prank, or yelling too much in the house. It is called child discipline and it is not illegal."

Sakura hated how this felt familiar. "When you say he gets hit...is it like a spanking or do the adults use force that causes Naruto to lose his footing?"

Sai thought about it a moment before answering. "Both. It depends on who is disciplining Naruto. Yoko san will hit Naruto with a stick until he can't get up again if he does something really bad. Nonō san only spanks Naruto."

"I'm pretty sure the first example is too serious and severe to not be child abuse… which is illegal especially for students enrolled in the academy because the village views them as an investment." Sakura looked away from Sai to Naruto who was still searching for 'doggies' in her house. "Naruto, here I have a pup."

"Where?" the blond hollered.

Sakura pulled chainsaw out of her jacket and held him up. When his back legs danged he wagged his tail and kicked at the air. Naruto squealed and raced over to take the smaller dog out of her hands.

She let Chainsaw go but lightly grabbed Naruto's shoulder to steady him. Without his notice she pushed her chakra into his system for a diagnosis. There were places where bones had been broken and mended with scars of extra calcium crisscrossing most heavily around his arms. Sakura recognized these as self defense wounds. Several more fractures had healed on his legs. She pushed more chakra through his body and felt more cause for concern. There was the issue of how his hemoglobin, the substance that carries iron in the blood, felt stimulated like it had been active recently. She tugged at his jacket and saw yellow spots up and down his arms, hidden from the jacket sleeves.

"Sai, come here too."

Sai didn't resist, but he did give her an odd look as she reached for him the same way she had with Naruto and pushed her chakra into him. He tensed, likely more sensitive to it and expecting it maybe, but didn't fight it.

His body was not as bad as Naruto's but there were also the fingerprints of bruising and bone fractures. Far less than Naruto, but in each case she found the injury was a bit more pronounced.

If the rumors were true, Naruto had the nine tailed fox to thank for his fantastic healing ability on top of his Uzumaki heritage, so bruises that took weeks to heal were gone in days, and bones that needed months to heal fixed themselves in weeks.

Sakura pulled away and looked Sai over without the chakra. "Sai, do they hit you too?"

"Only when I fail or do something bad." He inclined his head. "It is never without just cause. We are training to be shinobi, we need to be hardened for the battles to come."

"You're an idiot," Sakura muttered, reaching up she flicked his forehead.

Sai looked offended and touched his head, as if he was expecting to find a mark left behind from where she flicked him. "I am not an idiot. Naruto is the idiot. He gets disciplined more than I do."

"You're both idiots, how about that?"

If he could Sakura thought Sai would flush.

"Where is the bog doggy, I want to see the big wolf doggie," Naruto pronounced, stepping in between Sakura and Sai.

He held out Chainsaw for her to take and Sakura accepted her dog back. Chainsaw squirmed so she let him down to run around as much as he pleased. He went straight to Sasuke to yip once and then bite at the Uchiha's ankles. Sakura yanked on Chainsaw's tail to get him to cut it out, growling when he turned back to look at her. He understood but didn't look happy about it.

' _He's not like the other Uchiha, I don't care how much they smell alike, it's not the same idiot.'_

"If I show you my big dog will you go home? I have business down in the town I need to get to before too late."

"Dad said we weren't supposed to make any trouble for her," Sasuke hissed, yanking on Naruto's arm. "Don't be a dobe just because you don't want to go back again."

"It's no trouble, really," Sakura sighed, sounding a bit too much like her lazy sensei from years ago when she actually had enough excess energy to be annoying. She mentally catalogued Sasuke's comment about Naruto not wanting to go back for later.

Sakura reached into her shirt and pulled out the thin, long whistle and fit it to her lips. She blew once and then dropped it back into her shirt.

"I don't think it worked. You need to blow it again cause I didn't hear anything," Naruto said.

Sakura brushed past them and then waved to the group when they stayed behind in the kitchen, likely waiting for explicit orders. "Come on, let us see if it worked or didn't after going outside."

The tree of them trailed outside after her and clustered around her when Souta, sleek and white, appeared first. Dango dropped down from a tree next. In another minute Mop came bounding out of the forest between the trees with a joyful bark. He wasn't content to stop but ran into a circle around her, rolling onto his back in front of her and barking for a pet.

"That's not really professional," Sakura grumbled, bending down to give his belly a rub. Mop reached up to lick her face anyway and behind her Naruto giggled at the sight.

She knew Waffle had stepped into sight when she heard the gasp behind her. When she looked up Waffles was there, slipping between the shadows like she had always been a part of them.

"It's the big one," Naruto whisper shouted. It was impossible for him to be quiet and Sakura was starting to worry about his career as a ninja.

"Waffles, you mind showing off a little for the fans before I trek down to Hokage town for a follow up?" Sakura asked, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder at the kids. Naruto had stars in his eyes and even Sai looked eager to run his fingers through her fur again.

The big black wolf dog came up to Sakura and licked the side of her face before resting her head on Sakura's shoulder. Waffles leaned into Sakura and she understood what the ninken was trying to say.

"I'm fine, girl. It's okay."

With a huff Waffles walked over to the boys and circled them once before sitting and then laying down. Even when she was laying down, she was so big that she was still taller than the boys with just her head and neck.

"Where are we going?" Dango asked, sitting beside her. He was watching Sasuke who hadn't moved to pet Waffles like Sai and Naruto had. Sasuke was still glancing sideways at Sakura.

"I need to check on the status of my retirement and maybe buy some food while I'm down there. It's nothing major."

"And it's nothing planned," Dango grumbled, leaning into her hand when Sakura reached down to pet him behind the ears. "When did you decide this?"

"I don't need to plan all my life out and run it by you, okay."

Sakura waited until the boys were satisfied and then saw them on their way down the mountain. Naruto whined and dragged his feet but went wherever Sai went. Sakura only broke away from their trio when she noticed the ANBU picking up Naruto's tail.

'I wonder if I can charge the Hokage babysitting fees,' she thought to herself.

Her pack left her to wait outside the various checkpoints as they had weeks ago. The receptionist eyed Sakura critically when Sakura admitted she had no appointment. It was half an hour later when the Hokage sent down notice that he would be able to meet with her briefly.

"Key word being  _brief_ , he has an appointment with someone in fifteen minutes and  _that_  appointment is scheduled."

Sakura mentally flipped the receptionist off in her head and let herself in.

The Hokage was moving papers to the side when she walked in, but he looked up and smiled as the door slid shut behind her. She bowed at the waist and only straightened when she heard him gesture to her.

"Haruno kun, so good to see you again."

Sakura didn't know if he was being honest but decided it didn't matter. "The kid has been visiting me. Why don't the ANBU follow him onto my lands?"

"Straight to the point. Is that really such a deep concern that you must come directly here?"

"Kakashi was my sensei, I can see what's underneath the underneath. Why will the ANBU not follow him onto my lands?"

"I don't need it, but I want you to give me a reason why I should answer. I am your Hokage, after all. What I do and how I do it are not for you to question Haruno kun, but still, I would like to hear what is in your heart. Why do you care?"

Sakura felt the tension draw on her and knew that the Hokage, for as kind and forgiving as he could me, was still not a pushover. He owed her nothing.

Sakura ducked her head and cast her eyes down, to his chin. "I don't care about the ANBU, I just want to know why they were not following them onto my property."

"What do you care about, Haruno kun?"

Sakura forced her eyes up. "Did you know Naruto is being abused at Danzo's orphanage."

"Naruto's condition is heavily monitored. As you know he can be a wild sort of child and injuries are not uncommon when training to be a shinobi. Even if he looks a bit ruffed up that doesn't exactly mean that-"

"Sai told me to my face that they beat the kids at the orphanage because they're disobedient." Sakura didn't care that she cut him off. Her words came out rushed and tasted hot in her mouth, like she couldn't help but spill them.

"Sai?"

She looked up and saw he was smiling. He didn't seem annoyed that she cut him off, only somewhat amused.

"Sai lives at the orphanage and comes to visit along with Naruto and another child, the Uchiha as I'm sure you know. Sai explained to me where their bruises were coming from but there was also evidence of self defense injuries that date much older."

"Naruto hasn't been at Danzo's orphanage that long. If you are talking about years ago then the matter is one to take up with the previous caretakers."

Sakura heaved a breath and felt it rush over her teeth. "Hokage sama, do you know that the kids are being abused or do you really not think that's possible?"

"And what would you have me do if that was all true?"

"Move Naruto somewhere else, transfer him to a different facility, adopt him out, something! You can't just leave him in an environment like that. You can't do nothing when you know it's a problem."

"You can if there is nothing that can be done. You underestimate the willingness of others to take in Naruto once they know what he is. This is the seventeenth prohanage that has taken him in. There is no one who wants to adopt him and fewer still who hold clearance to interact him, let alone take him home." He leaned forward on his desk and pressed his hands together. "Even if it is an issue, it's not one that can so easily be fixed."

"Kushina's son deserved better."

Something passed behind his eyes and Sakura felt cold in her bones for a moment, like she had said something wrong even though she knew in her heart that she wasn't. It was what she truly believed. Kushina, Minato, and their son deserved better. She didn't lower her eyes.

"A lot of dead people deserved better, but we are here and we are alive in a peaceful village  _because_  of those dead people who deserved better. Their sacrifice made the building bricks for the foundation for this peace."

"With all due respect, Naruto isn't living in peace."

"Maybe he can't because of what he is."

"I don't believe that, sir."

He stared at her for a while and then leaned back in his seat. "Maybe then the will of fire hasn't been snuff out of you yet." A small smile curved up his lips. "I have a platoon you can join for a while in ANBU. When you get back you'll be fitted into jounin status."

Sakura felt turned around and suspected his words were less of a distraction and more a reward, like she had passed some secret test that-

Her thoughts derailed when she remembered the ANBU dropping away and the unsupervised time she had with the children. She remembered what people said about her after her accident, about her will of fire being snuffed out, and she remembered she said back to those people.

"ANBU, uh, thank you, which platoon?"

"Don't thank me just yet, you don't know which platoon for a reason. I don't want you rejecting my offer just yet." He waved at the door. "It's political protection for the most part, but with recent developments I've felt the need to heighten security around the Fire Dignitaries."

It wasn't a perfect fit. She really wasn't suited to hanging around someone rich and fancy for hours on end just waiting for an attach. She was usually more preemptive by nature, liked charging at her problems like during the war, but maybe that was the reason the Hokage was giving her this sort of work. The war was over and there was less need for soldiers like her. She needed to adapt, to grow, and to change.

"That-it sounds like it will be a long term mission if it is contingent on dignitaries working political matters out among themselves," she said. "The kids-"

The Hokage laughed loudly at that, real tears coming to his eyes. He wiped them away with the palms of his hands then regarded her again.

"Oh, that is true indeed. It has been classified as an A rank mission lasting between one to four months. Any longer and they will have to apply for an extension which would mean more money." He steepled his fingers. "But you could opt out at that point if you felt it was too much or too long for you and your pack."

"Thank you, sir, but I'm still worried about Naruto and the others at the orphanage."

He waved her words away. "I will update the surveillance to be more vigilant. They will do what they can. Thank you for sharing your heart's concerns with me, Haruno kun."

There was a knock at the door and Sakura bowed out, turning to leave just as another member dressed in armor and animal masks walked in, followed by another ANBU who was a head shorter. She recognized the ponytail right away but refused to look his way. In the hallway she allowed herself a private little smirk. They had given him a weasel mask.

' _How fitting_.'

 


	4. Sits before us Shattered into Ash

_ THINGS WE LOST TO THE FIRE _

Things we lost to the flame  
Things we'll never see again  
All that we've amassed  
 **Sits before us, _shattered into ash_**

_These are the things, the things we lost_

* * *

_Years later, living alone in the woods with half a dozen dogs, questionable reading material, and crippling attachment issues, Sakura realizes she turned into her teacher. Agebent Sakura Sensei_

* * *

Sakura remembered all the best memories at the worst times and all the worst memories at the best times. It was like some sort of self regulating balance mechanism inside of her that wouldn't allow her to fall into either extreme.

Sakura wasn't sure why she was gravitating back to the memories that made her heart pinch in bittersweet joy, but wondered if that was because she was excited to finally be going out on missions again...and in ANBU no less! It was what she wanted so of course she would be happy, and of course she would be remembering something that hurt.

'You're not allowed to be happy,' she thought to herself before knocking back another shot. And then another. And another.

"I'm a little worried about talking to you like this," Genma chuckled, settling into the seat beside her at the bar. He poked the empty shot glasses lined up in front of her.

Sakura snorted and added another. "No, this isn't too bad. They're not that strong. Just strong enough to get me a little buzzed."

"A little buzzed," Genma hummed, repeating her words as if he didn't believe them. "I guess that should be expected from Tsunade's apprentice."

"Among others," Sakura corrected. She waved the bartender down and ordered a light beer, one with flavor she could enjoy. She ignored the looks and sipped her beer. "What brings you out here?"

"Booze."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Aside from the booze."

"I just wanted to come talk to one of my new teammates. I just got a summons." His beer arrived and he held the bottom out for Sakura to hit with her own. At the sound his grin grew. "Welcome back, Hound Dog."

"You just have an unending list of nicknames for me, don't you?" Sakura sighed, bringing her lips to the top of her bottle. "I guess that's pretty fast for the Hokage though. I just left his office."

"I know, I walked in right after you."

"I know. You were with the newbie, how's that?"

"Could you believe I miss working with his cousin?" When Sakura snorted he went on. "I thought you were bad but it really is like working with a ghost. Kid never turns off. Doesn't even want to drink with us in between shifts."

"You're not supposed to."

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes at her. "Look at you. You think a little drink between shifts when you're off for five or four hours is going to matter that much?"

"Are you forgetting the fact that the kid is only thirteen years old? No one else thinks of thirteen year olds as adults. How old are you now? Shame on you for pressuring a minor into drinking."

Genma threw up his hands, palms out. "Hey, I never said I tried to force anything on him, I just wanted the kid to let loose a little and live it up. He doesn't turn off. He's like a machine."

Sakura took a long pull from her bottle. "He's thirteen and he's in the ranks. What did you expect?"

Genma huffed loudly, leaning back on the stool and glancing about the empty shinobi tavern. Regular civilians were not allowed inside so it was a little easier to talk about work without the worry of prying ears and wandering eyes. "Another Shisui, to be honest. Or maybe nothing that bad, maybe a little toned down, but not a machine."

"There is no one else like Shishu. That kid is one of a kind."

"Don't I know it." Genma finished his beer and stared down the length of it. "But I can't complain about their performance. Both kids are steller shinobi. Makes an old guy like me think he needs to up his game a little bit."

He was fishing for encouragement but he was sitting with Sakura so he was fishing in the wrong pond.

She finished her beer and pushed it up alongside the empty shot glasses. "Well, you are getting old, old man."

"And here I was going to buy the next round." He shoved at her playfully. "That teaches me to know better. I forgot how much of a brat you could be when you wanted to."

"They say your memory is one of the first things to go, you know."

"Okay, you're done. You're finished. Get out of here."

Sakura made a playful face and he laughed at her. "Heck no, open mic is in another ten minutes and I wanted to be here to see the grade A entertainment."

"Oh really, that's terribly cruel of you. I should have known better. How about a bet to see if you're willing to dust off those golden pipes of yours?"

If Sakura had been drinking she might have choked. "Hey, quit it. No, no way. I don't care what it is, the answer is no."

Genma looked like he was about to say something more when the front door opened and a pair of new figures stumbled in, or one of them stumbled and the other gallantly goose stepped his way through the bar.

Asuma and Kurenai followed the pair in, secretly smiling to each other about who knew what. It was hard not to snicker about the state Guy dragged Shisui in.

It was pretty easy to see what had happened since she had been in the same situation only weeks ago when Guy dragged her along in much the same state. Shisui was already famous throughout the shinobi world for his body flicker technique, but that required chakra, and without chakra, he was still second best to someone like Guy. It was hard to find someone who could beat Guy in a spar without chakra.

"Ah, my youthful colleges, it is good to see you already here in preparation for the evening's festivities!" Guy boomed.

"Oh, you planned this?" Sakura asked, glancing between Guy and Genma. The latter was grinning like the cat that got the cream.

"Every week we try to assemble for Shinobi open mic at the Thirsty Dragon! It is a new tradition, but not one I see us abandoning any time soon. Look, I even captured a captain to join us tonight!"

"Ah, fun, is Raidō coming?" Genma asked, leaning around Sakura to look at where Asuma and Kurenai were. Both were, once upon a time, on a genin team with Raidō Namiashi.

"Not until later," Kurenai said with a wave of her hand. "He's busy with a girl I think."

"His loss," Asuma laughed.

"Oi, but we have something to celebrate this time," Guy said, shaking Shisui again. Sakura noticed the Uchiha was flushed pink in the face and had refused to meet her eyes once. "Look at the newest captain!"

"Ah, that's right, you did mention something like that," Genma teased. "I guess that's the reason they kicked you off my platoon. I hear someone needs you to deal with those nasty Kiri nin who keep toeing the border like bastards."

Sakura eyed the seal Genma had laid down on the bar and breathed a sigh of relief. Even if it was a shinobi bar, they really shouldn't be talking about their missions so freely.

"I don't know anything about that," Shisui huffed, shaking himself free from Guy's hold. "I just know I got moved off your stupid team finally."

"Oi, oi, your cousin is on my team, you can't call it stupid."

"It's stupid because your face is there."

Genma reached for Sakura and grabbed her by the shoulders, dragging her out in front of him. "Oh, yeah, well if my team sucks so much then how come Sakura got placed with me and your stupid robot cousin?"

Shisui's face started to crumble, his eyes went wide and his mouth hung open, adding fuel to Genma's budding delight. Sakura shook her shoulders and then elbowed Genma in the stomach, making him cough and bend over.

"I'm obviously being reassigned to balance out how much it already sucks without me, duh. Don't tease so much."

"Not fair!" Shisui still whined, looking between Guy and Sakura. "How come it's only after I get my own team that...that...ugh, and Itachi gets to stay? Lucky brat doesn't even get it! Ugh, what a waste."

Behind Guy, Asuma and Kurenai shared a look between them that ended in sly smiles.

It wasn't really a secret how some people felt about others, and Shisui was just one of those characters that was so outgoing and boisterous it was impossible for him to keep it to himself once he developed a crush on someone. It had been pretty much a part of his character up until when Sakura retired. She didn't know why.

"You're getting your own team, captain, so there's really no room for complaint. I feel like I need to work a lot harder at this rate."

Shisui's eyes lit up and he stepped closer to Sakura. "Maybe I could recommend-"

Someone came behind and kicked at the soft spot behind Shisui's knees and he folded like a lawn chair on a strangled cry. Anko stood over him, arms crossed over her chest and grin as wicked as ever.

"Oh sorry, I didn't see you there. I was here for the booze at the bar and you just looked like a stepping stool. Sorry." Her tone was overly sweet and no one believed her.

"Devil woman," Genma whispered behind Sakura.

Asuma pat Guy on the shoulder and then pointed to a table nearby. "Let's pull up seats and order some drinks first."

Genma signaled for two more beers on him and then slid down the bar. He offered one to Sakura but it was Anko who moved in to take the beer.

"Aww, so sweet, you shouldn't have. Thanks, honey." With a laugh she joined the group at the table, leaving the trio at the bar.

"How-how long have you been here already?" Shisui asked, eyeing the neat little row of shot glasses in front of Sakura.

"A half hour, not much longer than that." Sakura waved the bartender and tapped the bar for her bill. "But I should get going soon."

His shoulders slumped. "You're leaving? But I just got here. I didn't know you would be here otherwise I wouldn't have tried to fight Guy on it."

Sakura grinned. "I figured as much. He did the same thing with me the last time I saw you all. It's almost impossible to take him on with a no-chakra handicap."

"You're telling me. It's scary when I think about how much I rely on my chakra for even little things like D rank jutsu."

Sakura absently remembered that his body flicker was a D rank jutsu that used very little chakra, but was difficult to pull off over long distances. With the skill he had he probably elevated the rank of the jutsu to C rank at least. She didn't know many other people who could make illusions stay behind after a successful body flicker.

Sakura pulled her coin purse out of her jacket, nudging Chainsaw a bit before laying the right amount of cash down with enough extra for a good tip. The smallest of her ninken yawned but then nestled into her chest to go back to sleep. When she looked up Shisui's expression reminded her of a kicked puppy.

"Before I leave we should test out our body flicker." Sakura stood from the bar and turned to face Shisui. "I've been pretty bad about practicing it and I would appreciate the opportunity to get humiliated by someone younger than me."

"Eh, for real? You're really being real, ah, being serious I mean?"

Sakura shrugged, dropping her hands into her pockets. "Sure. As long as you're fine with it we can even throw in some pursuit and survival training."

From inside her jacket Chainsaw stirred and yawned even louder.

"I-I'm really free until I think next week when I get the rest of my team assignments. Can I contact you or should you?"

"Oi, captain, when are we leaving on our next mission?" Sakura asked, turning to Genma.

"Next week, around the same time. We're due to get a few more teams back in the village so Hokage will let us out then. You got roughly the same time table, but watch your tone. I am your superior officer now."

"Sure, sure," Sakura huffed. She glanced back over at Shisui and scratched Chainsaw inside her jacket. "I'll contact you some time when I'm free, but I got plans tomorrow and I'm not sure what comes after that."

"Yeah, yeah, okay, that sounds cool. Yeah, great!" He nervously shifted from one foot to the other, biting his bottom lip even as color bloomed across his face.

Sakura really hoped she didn't look as bad when she talked to Iruka.

"Okay, I'm off. See you." Sakura offered a wave over her shoulder.

When she heard the first few notes of Guy singing the Land of Fire's National Anthem. It was ridiculous and impressive all at once.

* * *

Sakura didn't know how long she stood outside the Academy, but she knew it was longer than she should have. For whatever reason, after years of war and loss and enemies tearing pieces of her flesh away with their teeth and claws, it was the thin wall that made her freeze.

"A Kiri swordsman would be easier to face than this," she hissed to herself.

She straightened again and rolled the anxiety through her shoulders in an effort to shake it off. It didn't help, but Sakura knew how to live with her fears so she knocked anyway.

Someone called out for her to come in and she frowned, stepping into the staff building that hadn't existed when she was a student. Or maybe it had and she just never noticed it. She had only been in the academy a couple of years.

There was a receptionist desk where a tidy woman worked on someone's files and then a hallway that led to several shared offices where teachers could prepare and prep for their classes.

"Ah, is Iruka sensei in?" Sakura asked in a timid voice. It felt weird to call him a sensei.

"Are you here for parental demonstrations?" the woman asked. She had paused in her work to stare sweetly up at Sakura.

"I'm here for help with one of his classes, but I'm an old friend, not a parent."

Sakura forced out a smile but internally panicked at the same time because she didn't look that old. She was barely eighteen! Was that how old parents were these days? How old had her parents been when she was born?

"Oh, well he mentioned something about asking a few parents to come in for demonstrations but I hadn't heard anything beyond that. You can go see him if you want. He's with a class now but I think they're on break right now. He's at building one with the new entrees."

"Thank you," Sakura murmured, bowing with her eyes down.

She found building one easily enough and spotted several groups of kids scattered about outside and inside, lazing against the windows with food falling out of their mouth. She spotted a couple of familiar faces and ducked her head before heading indoors.

He was at his desk and startled at her entry. "Haruno kun-ah, Sakura," he greeted in surprise. A second later the smile fit easily across his face and he stood. "It's good to see you."

"You too," Sakura lamely replied. She couldn't help but cast her eyes to the side and scan the room. "It seems like your class is on break. Is it okay to talk now?"

"Yeah, I'm actually not supposed to be here when they have their free time, you know how they are about fostering independence. What can I help you with?"

"Ah, I heard you were having parents come in to give demonstrations and that sounded like a good enough excuse to see if you still wanted a first aid demonstration or mini lesson. I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner."

"Ah, don't worry about it. It's been a busy few first weeks with the kids. I'm still getting used to teaching and I've been asking for all the help I can get in giving these tykes a well rounded education. There is only so much I can expose them to, but I wonder if I'm wasting my time when they can't even master the most basic of basics."

Sakura nodded to his desk where he was looking over papers. "They're still doing written assessments?"

"Of course. It's not war time anymore. We have that luxury."

She smiled wryly. "Must be nice."

His smile was soft and in a moment she remembered a different time when he smiled at her like that even though she had been terrible and hadn't deserved it.

He had always been soft and kind and it had taken her years to understand that Iruka was strong too. Maybe he wasn't ANBU skilled or powerful with flashy jutsu, but in spite of everything he was kind. Sakura didn't know how it was possible for him to smile like that and mean it, but she both envied and admired him for that.

"When are you free for a demonstration?" he asked.

"I'm heading out of the village for a mission and I don't know how long that will take, so I'd like to help out before we leave this weekend. Would that be okay?"

"Could you do a demonstration today?" he eagerly asked. Leaning forward a bit his volume increased.

"T-today?" Sakura glanced about and noticed none of the students seemed interested in listening to them or watching them. "Like after lunch? What would you want me to do? I haven't prepared anything."

She didn't mention anything about already knowing three of his students even though that wouldn't change anything and shouldn't.

"Just something basic and simple. I can make a paper review for them to take after you're done to check for understanding. We have different shinobi come in to talk about their jobs so if that's all you want to do it's fine. I don't have any medics for parents this grade."

Sakura glanced out across the room and then down at her hands. "I guess I could teach them about battle medics or something like that. Is it okay that I'm not an active medic? Technically I'm only qualified for first aid."

He chucked at her worried expression. "If they could manage first aid that would be a miracle. Trust me, to them you'll look like a lead doctor if you can heal a cut."

"Would some of them be able to try and copy a jutsu? A simple one that only has three hand signs." Sakura started to make the hand signs and Iruka watched.

"I think most kids could follow that, but some of them still struggle with the chakra part of it. What does the jutsu do?"

"It works as a disinfectant wipe. You basically use your chakra to clean a cut or burn from infection if you don't have supplies. It's a good and simple one to try, especially if you have rough playing kids."

Iruka snorted. "Like Naruto."

Sakura swallowed nervously at the memory of his personal history of violence as told through his healed injuries.

"It doesn't require a lot of chakra. I think some of them might actually be able to do it, but it'll likely be too uncool to be remembered."

Iruka's smile turned sly in a rare moment of personal pleasure. "Doesn't matter how uncool something is if it shows up on a test."

"Did...you just chuckle about giving these kids a pop quiz."

"It's not a displeasent thing to have power of authority."

He turned from her and leaned over his desk just as a bell somewhere rang. Sakura jumped but Iruka looked as if he had expected it all along. Some of the kids started to head back indoors and when he caught sight of a few stragglers he cupped his hands around his mouth to yell at them to hurry up.

Sakura stepped back and leaned against the wall, one foot propped up and arms crossed in a relaxed pose as she waited for Iruka to finish announcements and afternoon roll. One of the kids was complaining about another one with potato chips and then that started a chain reaction of child blaming child for petter offences.

'Don't lick your classmate's pencil case!'

'He was looking at me funny!'

'I saw him throwing away other people's trash without asking them. You're supposed to ask them, otherwise it's stealing!'

'It's not stealing if it's trash!'

'You're going to be a criminal like that!'

Sakura listened to it all and decided that Iruka really was a saint for doing what she would never be capable of.

Then the kids started dragging their parents into it. A heavy dictionary hit the table with a smack and all the back in the room went straight. The kids set their eyes straight and shut up, waiting for Iruka to speak. He was looking the whole class over with a deep, tugging frown.

"How disappointing. I had thought you were ready to learn something new and cool from an elite member of the shinobi ranks, but it seems you are more interested in what your daddies think of each other. I've never heard of a ninja who talks like that." Iruka looked back over his shoulder at Sakura. "Have you?"

Sakura saw the boys from earlier notice her presence and redded. They wouldn't meet her eyes or Iruka's anymore. On the other side of the room, a little ways away from the rest of the kids, Naruto gasped the moment he noticed her. Sakura watched him start to stand only for Sasuke to yank him back down.

"I've not," she answered smoothly, watching as the chastised children redden further. "But I've heard of ninja who defend their parents often enough. It's not a terrible thing to love your old man, I guess, but there are better ways to show it."

When she looked back over at Iruka he was smiling proudly at her and it made her grateful she had finished speaking, because her heart was doing that stupid thing where it skipped beats and got stuck.

"Well said, shinobi san. Alright, that reminds me of what I'm doing here. I'm a teacher here at the academy because I want all of you to be shining examples of the will of fire entrusted to each and every member of the village. I'm here to be the teacher of excellent shinobi who grow up to protect all their loved ones. Today I have a guest here who I asked to come in and talk to you all. This is Haruno san, she is a Jonin and a veteran from the Third Shinobi War."

A hand went up right away but before the boy could be called on he started talking. "I know what that is cause my dad was one too!"

A few other students agreed and then the conversation shifted between what the difference was between chunin and jonin and genin because only half of them could remember and those that did were getting the ranks all wrong.

"Oi, wait to be called on. I heard someone say something wrong about the rankings."

The students instantly shut up, not wanting to be called on. Iruka looked around the room and then smiled at someone in the back.

"Sasuke kun, do you want to remind the others of the ranks?"

Sakura didn't doubt that Sasuke, being an Uchiha, would know the ranks well enough that he would be a natural pick for such a situation, but when he stood his body shook lightly. Sai said something and Sasuke hissed something back before facing Iruka with new found determination. Flawlessly, he recited the ranks in the correct order with added information. When he sat again some of the kids started whispering about who their guest was.

"Haruno k-uh, Haruno san, would you like to come up to the desk and introduce yourself a bit as well as explain to the students what you do?" Iruka asked her.

Slowly, Sakura nodded and took his spot. "My name is Sakura Haruno, and you already know my rank. I do not have a specialization as a shinobi, as I prefer to be well rounded in every category, but I am best known for my physical strength. I also served as a medic nin during the war because there were so few. One of the things I want to teach you today is a jutsu my master showed me that can help if you are cut or scratched during battle and there is no medic."

Several hands went up and Sakura glanced to Iruka, looking for guidance. 'Should I take some questions first?'

Iruka smiled at her and nodded. "My, it looks like the students are interested in learning a bit more about you first, Haruno san. Would you mind answering a few questions. It is one of their favorite things to do."

Sakura looked back to the class. "Okay, you with the glasses in the third row."

The boy stood. "I have heard your name before. How? My father speaks to me of these things. He said you were splendid but retired. Are you no longer a retired shinobi?"

Sakura could see his notebook where the name Shino Aburame was scrawled. No wonder.

"You are well informed, Shino kun. You will make a splendid shinobi yourself, one day. You are correct, I was retired for a short while to allow me time to heal from injuries, but I am better now."

"I am glad to hear that. Why? Because it does not please me to know my father's friends are unwell. Thank you for answering my question Haruno sensei." He bowed and took his seat again, unphased by the murmurs of children voices around him.

Another boy asked Sakura how old she was and Sakura told him that he was asking dangerous questions before a girl asked if Sakura's hair was really that color. Sakura answered with a clipped, 'yes,' and then took a few more basic questions from the class. She ignored Naruto who waved his hand like crazy and the boy with red marks on his face, shaped like fangs.

"What jutsu will you show us? Will it be flashy?" someone asked.

Instead Sakura pulled back the fabric of her right arm. Her left was always covered from elbow to fingertip to hide the prosthetic, but her right arm was all flesh. Saura cut a thin line with her kuni too fast for them to see. Red beaded soon after and the kids began to panic.

"How many of you know what you should do with an injury like this?" She chose a girl with blue eyes and pale hair.

"You need to put a bandaid on it, quick!"

"True. But you are on the battlefield. You do not have any bandages left. This happens often and many shinobi will try to make bandages on their own out of things like shirts and headbands. This helps, but it makes another problem. Who would like to guess what that problem is?"

When no one got it after a few tries Sakura answered for them, explaining who infection was and how dangerous it was to shinobi. Some students seemed to understand and others still looked lost.

Sakura ran her gloved hand over the cut and it steamed then healed. When she wiped the blood away there was nothing left. The kids sounded amazed.

"Healing a cut is a bit complex, but what I want to teach you today is how to clean a wound with your chakra. I will be distributing fish to groups of three, one for each row. Students may then take turns copying my jutsu that makes their chakra into a cleaning chakra, one that disinfects the wound on the fish. If you are successful I will be able to tell."

Iruka had the kids clean off their desks and Sakura used an old scroll from her training days to summon dead, fish with cuts down their bodies. She had just enough for everyone, including the last group made up of Sasuke, Naruto, and Sai.

"Sakura chan, Sakura chan, Sakura chan," Naruto chanted with a huge grin. "You're so cool."

Sakura flicked his nose. "It's Haruno san or Haruno sensei today, kid. Be respectful."

Naruto laughed and held his nose while Sasuke stared and Sai said nothing.

Back at the front of the room Sakura taught the whole class the hand signs they would need. Iruka and she moved to each group to coach them along and encourage them. Sakura almost avoided a group but settled down in front of Hana's little brother with a twist in her gut.

"Kiba kun?" Sakura guessed. The boy looked up and smiled a big toothy grin that hurt almost too much. He was a lot like his sister but she still reached for him to guide his hands. "Here, it will be easier if you think of your chakra like this…."

Without surprise there were a lot of girls who got it, only because girls tended to listen better to instruction and have a better hold of their chakra at such a young age. Also, students with fire nature chakra-like the Uchiha- seemed more suited to it.

More and more students seemed to get the hang of it once someone in their group could do it though, and Sakura was surprised but delighted at their progress. When they called her sensei and thanked her it almost made her heart do that annoying half jump thing it did when Iruka smiled at her.

Sakura went to the back to sit beside Naruto, who was the only one in his group still struggling, though he refused to give up. Sakura sat behind him and guided his hands, and then the chakra that pooled in his palms. There was so much, too much, that she had to filter most of it out herself.

"You feel that? That's all you need. Try again."

It took two more attempts before he was able to get it. His disinfection was slow, slower than most kids on account of how hard he had to concentrate, but once he found the hang of it he brightened and cheered.

"Thank you Sakura sensei!"

Sakura kept herself from clutching at her chest. "I didn't do that much, kid. You're better at this stuff than you think." She didn't even admonish him for using her first name.

Sasuke scoffed and Sai sighed, seemingly bracing for whatever would come next. Naruto, predictably, ruffled at the sound and snarled at Sasuke.

"Oi, what was that for?"

"You could have gotten it on your own. You didn't need to get help. It's like cheating."

Before Naruto could retort Sakura placed her hands on Sasuke's shoulders and he stilled, glancing up at her as she stood over him. "I don't think so, Sasuke chan. Everyone needs help in the beginning. We are born needing help for the most basic things. Even adults like me need help sometimes. There is nothing wrong with that, even if it sometimes feels like cheating. If you want help on anything I would be willing to do just as much as I had for Naruto. That's why we're all here at the school together. We're here to learn."

Then someone in one of the middle rows started cheering. Sakura heard another kid cry, 'so cool!' and another freak out indiscriminately. They got really excited when they could do it after tying so many times.

She stood to talk to them but a whole new row of kids got up out of their seats to rush across the room. Kids were growing louder and their cheers rose with them. Sakura couldn't help but smile as she listened to them.

"Ohmagod it's so fluffy I'm gonna die!"

Sakura paused, buoyancy fading from her heart. "Eh?"

The kids were up crammed up around the windows and staring out at something. Sakura stood on a chair to see over them and sighed. With a hop she descended and made her way over to the side door to open it and lean out. The kids started to whine, begging her not to scare it off.

"Get in here you two. Where is Dango? He was supposed to be keeping watch."

Sakura held the door open as Mop and Souta trotted in, ears and heads lowered as their tails barely moved from between their legs. When the kids started to cheer Mop began to perk up but Sakura made a noise in her throat the reminded him to be professional.

"Sit, both of you."

The whole class rushed back to their seats and leaned forward. It didn't matter that her command had been for her dogs and not the kids. Iruka gaped at their obedience. A few seconds later Dango came skidding in.

"Sorry, I stepped away for a second and….oh, yes, there are a lot of them. Sorry." He was looking at all the kids and quivered a bit at some of their too eager eyes.

"Sensei, you have dogs!" someone in the classroom cried. Sakura looked up and saw it was Kiba, eyes brighter and smile wider than ever.

Iruka sighed but laughed as Sakura unzipped the front of her jacket and urged the smallest member of her pack awake. Chainsaw yawned cutely and half the class convulsed in delight at the sight.

"How do you have such cute dogs?!"

The girl who cried out was next to another girl who was just barely being held back by a classmate from jumping over the desk and reaching for the dogs. Iruka looked on, mouth a gap.

"I've never seen them this clued in."

It was hard, but Sakura remembered back to when she was that young with her first dogs. She remembered Kakashi's pack, and how she had felt back then, barely contained. It was a rough memory, almost like it wasn't really meant for her anymore, but it was there still.

"Can we pet them?" someone asked.

Dango whined a little, looking up at Sakura in fear. She could only grin. Served him right.

"If you're good and your sensei says it's okay, we can run drills with the dogs. These guys are ninken, their ninja dogs that help me on the front lines, but the also run recovery and first aid across the battlefield." She knelt down beside Dango. "This is Dango, and when we're working he will wear a first aid harness that helps him supply aid to those who are hurt."

Mop and Comrad waited patiently, tails wagging whenever she glanced their way. She scratched the big white dog behind his ears before addressing the rest of the class. "This is Souta and he's the fastest. He can run and relay messages with stamina that would give any other nin a run for their money." She reached for Mop next. "This is Mop and he's a monster. He'll tear apart my enemies for me if I can't."

"And what about the last one!" someone cried.

Sakura rubbed Chainsaw's ears. "This little guy, Chainsaw, is a sensor. He's better than me when he's all the way awake, but he's still a growing boy. He lets me know when I'm in danger or if there are people nearby who might have chakra."

"Why are their names so funny?"

"Why do they look so weird?"

"Where did you get them from?"

"How can that one talk?"

The questions rolled endlessly from their collective voice. Sakura knew they would go on and on with the asking if she didn't cut it short, so she looked to Iruka.

"What sort of game did you have in mind?" Iruka asked, whispering to her behind his hand.

A few minutes later the kids were scattered outside wearing cards on their chest with roles they had to play. Some had to hide, some had to run, some had to try and steal something from Mop's mouth, and others had to use the first aid kit from Dango's first aid kit correctly. Most kids got a turn at two or three different roles before the end of the day drew close enough to make Sakura jittery.

"You have to go soon?" Iruka asked.

Sakura pulled her eyes away from where Kiba crouched in the mud, rolled all over with it to hide his scent. 'Just like Hana.'

Sakura fished something out from under the collar of her shirt. "Yeah, but there is something I think I need to do first."

No on heard it and no one reacted to it except Kiba and her dogs, but when the others turned towards her she signaled them back to the game and headed over to where Kiba was hiding. He was already sitting up and watching her. She motioned with her hand for him to follow her.

"Where are we going?" he asked after a half minute of traveling into the academy's underbrush.

Sakura turned around and crouched down to be at his eye level. "There was something I needed to show you, Kiba kun. Do you know who I am?"

Kiba's smile was wide and eyes full of innocence. "Yeah, you're Sakura sensei, Iruka sensei's friend."

"I guess you wouldn't remember, since you were so young back then. I knew someone in your family very well a while back."

Kiba's wide, innocent smile started to fall off his face. "Oh…" he knew what she was talking about even without her having to say it. "You mean Hana onēsan."

"I'm sorry about what you must be feeling. She and I were teammates and we were very close. She was my best friend and she entrusted me with something precious a few years back. It might be selfish of me to say this, but I wanted to tell you that the gift I was given is doing well."

"What are you-"

Kiba's words caught in his throat as the silent shadow passed over his form and something cold made the hairs on his skinny arms stand all up. He couldn't swallow, but he turned like a stiff doll and looked up, up, up behind him at the wolf looming there like a patch of midnight sky. Then there was the breath, sucked in over his teeth.

Waffles took a half step and then lowered her face, sniffing at the boy she remembered being a baby. A long time ago she was just a pup in a litter raised among the Inuzuka clan. Before she was a pup passed from Hana's hands to Sakura's, the large wolf dog had slept under the same roof as Kiba, and she hadn't forgotten.

With a low whine she leaned in and licked the side of his face, nuzzling there when tears started to stream down. Sakura thought she heard him whisper something but couldn't be sure.

"This is Waffles, but Hana called her Kokuyo. I had to give my dogs weird names after all, otherwise they'd be too much like sensei's pack, or Hana's."

"Hana's pack?" Kiba whispered, looking up from the thick black fur of Waffle's body.

His eyes were a little red in the corners from trying to hide and hold back the tears. Sakura got the sense that he was feeling or remembering things triggered by scent that she was completely unaware of.

Kiba cried a little more and then he thanked her and went back to the fields where he dug his face into the mud to mask the red of his eyes. No one suspected it when they finally found him. Sasuke might have looked at the kid funny, but Sakura thought that was likely because Kiba was a mess and Sasuke was an Uchiha, and Uchiha could be fussy pricks when they wanted to be. (Shisui included.)

She left with a promise to come back if they all did well, maybe for graduation. The kids were over the moon and crying at the thought of saying goodbye to the pack, but Kiba held back, almost like how Sai, Naruto and Sasuke held back. The latter three knew where she lived and where they could find her and her pack, after all. Kiba seemed content for his own reasons.

Somehow, Sakura felt lighter after that. When she departed on her mission at the end of the week with Genma's unit, a fraction of the weight in her heart had chipped off and fallen away.

 


	5. These are the things, the things we lost

_THINGS WE LOST TO THE FIRE   _

Things we lost to the flame  
Things we'll never see again  
All that we've amassed  
Sits before us, shattered into ash

**These are the things,** the things we lost  
The things we lost in the fire, fire, fire  
These are the things,  **the things we lost**  
The things we lost in the fire, fire, fire

* * *

_Years later, living alone in the woods with half a dozen dogs, questionable reading material, and crippling attachment issues, Sakura realizes she turned into her teacher. Agebent Sakura Sensei_

* * *

"Another letter?" Sakura asked. She spoke for the sake of speaking, and not so much because she actually wanted an answer. She was on watch and nearly bored to tears because of it.

Two months had turned into three for the political security detail and then they had been reassigned to a high risk area where combat was a daily occurance. After a month of blood and burning chakra, they were back on the security detail and waiting for the second leg of negotiations to finish.

Sakura felt wasted and dull, but especially so after the month long excursion. She wanted more of that sort of work, but understood why ANBU with family members preferred the quiet and the peace.

"This is the longest I have been away from home, so my younger brother is becoming agitated at home," Itachi replied.

He started to turn towards her and Sakura braced, knowing she had asked for it when she started the conversation.

"Would you mind?" He held out the letter and Sakura deflated but accepted it.

"I don't know why you think anything I say will be of help. He's your younger brother, he looks up to you more than anyone else."

"Yes, but sometimes the words of a relative ring with less impact because they're the only words you are hearing from. I would like it if Sasuke could continue to grow outside of his family bonds, and he responded so positively the last time you added something to the letter."

"I'm starting to think that you're on a top secret mission from the Hokage to chip away at my resolution to not become a teacher, little by little, until I finally cave. First Iruka now you, I swear I'm not good at this kid stuff."

Itachi hummed knowingly, and it ruffled Sakura in an odd way because he was so much younger than her but still seemed more mature at times.

"It's an A rank."

"What?"

"Your secret mission," he explained with a mischievous smirk. "Only A rank."

"Ew, stop that. I'm not used to your jokes sneaking up on me." She pouted in mock distress but Itachi's smirk didn't abate. "You're such a nerd, Weasel san."

"We're not in our masks, you can call me by my name."

Sakura waved him off, reading Sasuke's letter and recognizing the signs of impatience she was also feeling from his words. He was frustrated with the slow pace of his classes, even though there were things he was still missing. He wanted to rush through everything and get to the dangerous stuff just like her.

"This kid," Sakura sighed out loud. "Someone should tell him to slow down and be a child for a little longer. Being an adult sucks."

"It's not all bad."

Sakura hissed at Itachi sharply. "Nope, you're still a kid too, don't talk to me like that. You're tiny."

Itachi's mood dipped a bit. She could feel it more than see it, because he was a perfect mask of poised expression, but after living and working so close to each other she knew what his chakra felt like so well she didn't even need Chainsaw to tell her where he was.

"I am an adult."

And he was. In the eyes of the law he was a legal adult with all the rights and responsibilities and privileges granted to adults. He was risking his life for the village, he deserved to be able to smoke and drink and go to red light districts, (not that she assumed Itachi would be interested in any of those things). He liked being responsible and taking care of others though, so it made sense how he wanted to be an adult and seen as one.

Sakura's eyes were still on the paper but she addressed Itachi. "You shouldn't be."

"Why is that?"

"Because it's a sad fate to be an adult and you should have more happiness in your life."

Itachi didn't say anything after that, but waited in the same common room with her without speaking. She could feel him watching her as she put together a reply to young Sasuke's letter, even though it hadn't been addressed to her.

"Here," Sakura finally spoke.

She waved the small paper between two fingers, blowing on the ink before handing it over to Itachi to look over. Once he was finished he rolled it up tight enough that it could hide in the breast of a crow's thick feathers. Unlike regular messenger birds, (such as the hawks and falcons regularly used in Leaf), Shisui and Itachi's crows hid their messages in their feathers.

"Does Shisui usually go through all your letters before passing them off to Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, he needs to see who to hand the letters off to." Itachi hesitated before adding anything. "Also, it wouldn't matter if you addressed the outside, he would still recognize your handwriting."

Sakura huffed. "Great, I have that to look forward to. On second thought, pass that letter back, Sasuke doesn't need to hear what I had to say."

Sakura waved a hand in a half hearted attempt to reclaim the letter but Itachi kept it out of reach with minimal effort. From under the table Mop huffed and then loudly rolled over so he was laying on the tops of Sakura's feet. She wiggled her toes and the dog figited off enough for her to use her heel to rub circles into his tummy. A second later she heard his happy chuffs.

"I'm sure it won't be as terrible this time," Itachi said. He was leaning against the table Sakura had seated herself at, but his eyes began to search the room for the rest of her dogs.

"Well, that's easy for you to say, since it's not you who gets to suffer the brunt of it.," Sakura grumbled before pushing away from the table. Itachi saw her waving and followed her finger to the floor. "I have one under the table if you want to pet him."

Mop looked up, knowing they were talking about him and whined pitifully. Sakura wasn't petting him anymore but he was still stretched out with his belly up.

Itachi smiled to himself as his ears turned red, but he bent down and scratched the large, shaggy gray dog behind his ears and then rubbed circles into his belly.

"Your Ninken are always so friendly," he complimented.

"They're manipulative and they trust you. We're on a team together and we've been together all this time. If it were someone else, someone I didn't know so well, he would never roll over like that for you."

"I'm honored."

Sakura chuckled. "You should be. They don't even like Shisui this much."

Itachi actually laughed at that, almost causing Sakura to do a double take. A laugh from Itachi was a shooting star, rare but not impossible to catch if you knew where to look.

"I am not surprised. The cats that live in the compound all seem to hate him as well, but Shisui claimed it was because of their disposition. He's not a cat person, but it sounds like he's not a dog person either."

"Eh, maybe he is a dog person, but he is not a 'my dogs' person. They don't like how readily he gets into my personal space."

Sakura remembered the few times she had to work with Shisui and her pack and realized that it was far less than the work she had done with Itachi. They had been stationed out of the village for months together, something she hadn't yet done with Shisui's group.

"That sounds like Shisui."

When Sakura didn't reply or make an indication that she had heard him Itachi looked up to better explain himself. Instead, he caught his tongue and held it as he watched dark shadows deepen across her face.

"Sakura?"

She looked his way and the shadows lessened. "Hn, sorry. I spaced out for a second, what was it you just said?"

"I said it sounded like Shisui to be invading your personal space. He is like that with a lot of people, something the rest of the family does not appreciate."

"He is not a very Uchiha-like Uchiha, is he?"

"The least," Itachi agreed, "but I think that is why I like him so much."

Sakura laughed to herself behind her wrist. "I'll apologize for bad mouthing him in front of you, but I can't make any promises not to do so in the future."

"I wouldn't expect you to. Please don't feel the need to change your behaviors around me for such a simple reason."

Sakura looked to the lone window that looked outside in the common room and saw that the sun was dipping. A secondary glance at the clock reminded her that they were getting close to the hour both she and Itachi would be on duty.

In spite of his skill, Itachi had received complaints regarding his size and how un-intimidating he seemed when on guard duty. Sakura with all her growling hounds made up for that and if the two were on duty together it seemed to balance out.

"One more week and we're back," Sakura sighed.

"Hopefully." Itachi stood and watched her stretch. "That's what it was supposed to be last week and the week before that. It is unusual to keep ANBU on a mission so mundane for so long."

They had a few scares with assassins trying to break in to rooms at night or plant bombs in meeting halls, but with the skill of the collective team, nothing made it through. Sakura wanted to agree and add that she thought their mission was less for the sake of the officials and more for the sake of keeping them out of the village.

'That or just to keep you too busy to complain.'

Sakura left with Mop for her room and dressed, tying her hair up and then fitting the black stretch skin hood over her head so no hair showed. Other Anbu let their hair go free, but Sakura knew her color was too dead a give away, so she took the extra step to make herself that androgynous figure fit best in the shadows.

With her mask in place she called her dogs to her and led to pack to the meeting room to relieve the ANBU on duty.

A week later accords were made and their job was done. They left the day their contract expired and headed straight home, only for another away mission to be waiting for Sakura, breaking her up from Genma's cell.

Sakura did a better job of staying in touch with her old friends. Whenever she came back into the village she made sure to see them, visit with a couple, spar with Guy, drop in on Iruka's classes, and pay her respects to her seniors.

She was still worried about Naruto and Sai being with Danzo's caretakers, but aside from the usual wear and tear, the boys seemed fine. When she started to snoop too much something would come up that pulled her out of the village.

She didn't know if that was her being too paranoid or just the way things were. She was asking for the work, after all. When she was fighting enemies she didn't have to hold back with she felt like she was finally far away enough from her problems.

Weeks passed like that.

Weeks made months.

Sakura grew older and stronger and faster. The war had ended but the battles lived on forever inside her instincts. Her heart was a jackhammer that pumped faster the more she raced into danger because that was where she was honed. The place between the knife and the vein, the shadow and the hand, the here and there there; those were all the places where she had been designed to be, crafted and molded by combat.

Her pack grew with her too, filling out and developing new strategies alongside their new muscles. Even with just their primal speech, Sakura never had any difficulty understanding them when she needed to, but after bleeding together it was more than just that.

Months passed like that.

Months made years.

And just like every, failable, mortal, human, Sakura slipped.

* * *

Something was wrong with her left arm. She couldn't feel it anymore. She could always feel it, even when it wasn't there, Sakura had always been able to feel the phantom sensations that made no sense.

Sakura moved like thick honey in a jar, sluggishly turning to see over her side where her arm ended. The prosthetic was gone and her stump was in clear view, gushing red and bleeding like it had just been hacked off. Just like-

The dream popped and Sakura was awake too suddenly.

The IV in her arm strained and she hit the pillow as a hand knocked her down, back into the bed. She almost screamed, twisting away, but another hand came in to help hold her down.

Chakra!

Her chakra was all over and slipping out of her hold. She couldn't mold it like she knew she needed to. Her mind was a mess. She had no control.

"Sakura!"

She calmed enough to listen.

There was a reason she couldn't use her chakra, like there was a reason sharp knives wern't left in reach of infants. The lights overhead started to make sense, followed by the stiff cotton of standard issue hospital bedding.

Sakura looked over at her left arm and saw it wasn't there anymore, but the scarring was old, years old, and further away her prosthetic lay with the shoulder harness unclipped on an end table. The straps were a mess and just as bloody as they were shredded. She would have to repair parts of it and replace others.

She swallowed and looked away.

"Where?"

"You're back home, Haruno san, you made it back. This is the hospital and you're going to be okay now that we're treating you."

Sakura looked up and saw a uniform more than she saw a face. The nurse smiled sweetly but Sakura didn't recognize her.

"How...long?" Words came out broken and sore. Her throat felt cracked in places.

"You've been asleep for five days."

Sakura reached for the stump of her left arm but the IV in her arm tugged and the nurse fussed at her to stay still, but Sakura pulled her arm across anyway so she could feel the end of her was smooth and pink the way she remembered it. There wern't any new scars or gashes. It wasn't bleeding. It wasn't open anymore.

Sakura sighed and sank back into the bed. Finally still, she heard the whimpering outside the door in between the beeps from the machines beside her.

"Can you let my pack in? They must be worried."

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that policy won't allow pets."

"They're not my pets they are my pack mates and I am a shinobi. Let them in."

The nurse stammered, glancing between the door and Sakura. "Bu-but they're not summons. They can't speak so I don't think I'm allowed to do that. You're not even supposed to have human visitors until the head doctor looks you over."

Sakura huffed darkly, temper simmering beneath the surface of her blank face. "Fine. Then you can deal with them doing whatever the hell they please in the hallways because they're only going to listen to me if someone else tells them to take a shit outside."

The woman gulped and ducked her head, but let the door open wide enough for the rest of her pack to rush in.

Souta is the first in, all sleek and white like a blur made up in your mind, he's up on her bed and dipping his head under her arm and turning over to lay on his back for her, whining and whimpering but tail wagging wildly. Mop is close behind with Chainsaw right alongside him. The tinier dog makes the leap onto the foot of her bed while Mop is content to rest his chin on the mattress closest to her hand.

They didn't speak with human words but she could feel and know what they meant thanks to the bond shared between all of them.

So sorry.

So scared.

We love you.

Never leave.

Sakura only had one good hand and it was scratching at Souta's belly next to Mop's head, but she tried to wipe at the moisture in her eyes with what is left of her left stump. It's a reach, but she managed well enough on her own.

"What happened?" she asked. At the foot of her bed Dango sat, tired and patient.

"You almost died...again."

"Aside from the obvious. What about the mission? Our target was-"

"He got away, but we brought you back, that's enough for the mission. They can have your talents but they can't have your life, not this village!"

In anger Dango stood back up on all fours and a vein of fur stood up running from the crest of his skull to his tail. There was agitation all throughout his frame.

Sakura dropped her eyes. "I'm sorry I worried you all. It was under ranked for the difficult it proved to be as a mission. It should have been S ranked."

"Regardless, you're here now and so are we. Be grateful for now and don't trouble yourself with anything more. Don't think about the mission any more than you need to."

Sakura felt pain in her mind and suspected it was thanks to the head trauma she suffered when she was struck down. There was a drip feeding her painkillers, but she reached over to turn it off. Dango growled at her hand on the knob and she huffed in reply.

"I need my head to clear up for this. The longer I go the less I remember. They were wearing cloaks from Ame, they were freedom fighters, the ones rising up against Hanzo. I've not seen cloaks like those mobilized in years."

Beside her Souta whined and Sakura knew it meant that he had seen the same thing too. When she reached over Souta to the edge of the bed Mop licked her hand.

"I'm sure that was terribly important, but not more important than you right now. Turn the drip back on and go to sleep. We'll keep watch this time." Dango paced around to the opposite side of the bed across from Mop and Souta, closest to her left side. "Please, Sakura."

"I will, but remember this for me first."

She then recounted everything she could remember to Dango verbally. The others listened but she was trusting Dango to commit the details to memory. When she woke again she would need everything for her report.

"They'll not be sending you out again after this...at least not for a good long while."

Sakura turned the drip back on and settle into the pillows. "That's fine. I think there are some things here I need to get to before I'm ready to go back out again."

When she woke in the morning her chakra stores were almost back to full, but more than enough for her to fuel the healing jutsu she knew she needed. When the head nurse came back Sakura was dressing herself at the end of her bed with her clipboard perched on a knee for inspection. They insisted on a follow up exam to make sure she really was as healed as she claimed to be, but it didn't take much longer than an hour and then she was free again.

Dango had given her report to a superior who promised to transcribe it in writing for the Hokage. She needed to check in with the old man and confirm it all, but that didn't take long at all. She was done before the sun was even halfway across the sky.

"Where are we heading? Waffles went ahead. They wouldn't let her inside the hospital looking like a grim. Shouldn't we check in on her?" Dango asked.

"Back home to fix the straps on my arm holster," Sakura said.

She stopped in the middle of the road and looked sideways into the glass where her reflection stared back. She was wearing a yukata with an outer coat draped over her shoulders. Underneath, black leggings ran all the way down to her ankles.

Sakura glared at what she saw then quickly turned away.

"No one needs to see that."

It took the rest of the day to fix the component that kept her prosthetic in place, but it would take longer still to regain the same level of mobility she once had with it. It would take time, maybe a day, maybe a week, of her chakra flushing into the conductive components. Her fingers curled slower, and forming hand signs was more difficult. Matching the speed from one hand to the other was messy.

Sakura practiced. Again and again.

Night became day and she woke to a tapping on her window. When she looked up she saw black feathers and something shimmering in its beak. She opened the window and let Fugaku's magpai in to drop off the message.

"A summons from the Uchiha clan?" Dango asked, sniffing at the broken seal.

"Not officially. He just wants to share some herbal tea."

She turned the message around for him to see before tossing it into the cup of water by her bedside table. The ink smeared first, but then the paper broke up just as expected.

She didn't take as much time to dress as she probably should have, considering she was meeting with a high ranking, influential clan head in the village, and there were sure to be plenty of masks watching her every move from the shadows.

Wearing something close to what she had been after the hospital, Sakura left the house and made her way down the side of the mountain to the compound. She stopped once to look back and see Waffles watching her from between the trees, wordlessly communicating her plans to stay behind and watch.

It had been a while but the older Uchiha recognized her right away and she was ushered to the main house where Fugaku waited to receive her in the tea garden. Mikoto led Sakura the rest of the way, her eyes keen in a knowing way that made Sakura almost pause.

"What?" Sakura asked, suddenly on edge because of how the Uchiha matriarch regarded her. "Why are you looking at me like that."

Mikoto smile brightly and laughed behind her hand. "Sorry Sakura chan, it's nothing. I've just heard a lot about you recently, more than I thought I would."

"Wh-what does that mean?" Sakura asked.

She glanced to the side wishing her dog had been allowed in with her. Even if it was just Chainsaw who couldn't fit inside her jacket anymore without a noticeable bulge.

"Not what you're thinking. It's both my sons who seem to hold you in high regard. I didn't know you were interested in younger men otherwise I would have introduced you all much sooner."

Sakura flushed but sighed a breath of relief. "Very funny, Mikoto san. Don't make jokes that will only freak me out. I'm far too old for my heart to take the scare."

"Hmm, well, while I agree that my adorable Sasuke chan is a little young, the age gap isn't so serious for  _Itachi_. You know there is a four year age difference between Fugaku and I." She leaned in conspiratorially. "And I'm the older one."

"You look far too young for your age, I'm not sure you're human," Sakura whispered back, still a little flushed.

Mikoto laughed and pulled Sakura close. "You know we all adore you here. I'm afraid we'll be relying on you a bit more today and I wish I could do more than just tease you, my dear."

"I'd be more than just satisfied if you skipped the part where you tease me about my uneventful love life, thank you very much." Sakura forced a sigh out that steadied her jackhammer heart. "It's not like I need or even want your thanks. That's not what I do this for."

Mikoto kissed Sakura's forehead and ushered her along. "They're waiting for you."

Sakura stepped into the garden and saw Fugaku waiting with another elder who looked mean in a way many different Uchiha looked mean. It wasn't a surprise but it wasn't pleasant to finally face the figure she had been informed about.

The man turned to see her at the edge of the garden and his eyes went wide. He started to rise, a protest on his lips.

"No! I'll not-"

But Fugaku's hand was at his neck, drawing back from a sharp jab that knocked him out.

"Can you be quick about it?" he asked in a tired sigh.

"Aren't I always?" Sakura hummed in response.

She knelt beside the slumped form of the Uchiha elder and placed her hands at his temples. A moment later healing chakra seeped into her brain and began the laborious process of seeking out the noxious cloud she had grown to know too well.

The man's brain was a bit more of a mess than expected, and the production of chemicals that determined his mood and temperament were all out of order. Because she knew where to look for it, Sakura found the Curse of Hatred and began to burn it away with healing chakra.

From the side of the table Fugaku watched her work with heavy eyes, knowing that what she did was necessary more now than ever. For years she had been healing the Uchiha of their chemical imbalances and mental disorders as best as she could.

Usually it only took a single session for the curse to be eradicated, but there were regulars who cultivated their hearts for hatred, making the Curse a common occurrence. For those people, Sakura had to come back, again and again to clean them out.

"Is this it?" she asked after a long stretch of silence. She was still working, still pouring her chakra into the Uchiha, but she could multitask this time.

"For now...but I suspect there will be others. Once the news trickles down to the others there may yet be more for you to do. I am sorry to put this burden on you."

"I am only sorry I was not here sooner to do more." Sakura pauses before asking, "What news scares you so, Uchiha san?"

Fugaku huffed in agitation at the sound of his name so formally being used. "The Uchiha are being restricted to active members in the shinobi forces. Aside from police work, they are imposing a limit on how many members we may have deployed on mission work and security at a time. Then there are the usual budget cuts."

"That's stupid. How is that supposed to help anyone?"

"It's not. They're breeding the conditions for something worse. What will our talented youth do when they do not have work? Maybe we should meet and plot and plan about overthrowing the village like they think we do."

"Don't joke like that." Her heart hurts to hear her old friend speak so despondent. "You're all too talented for them to waste. They'll see."

"They claimed it was odd, how much more talented we seem. It's only gotten worse with the loss of the Senju as a clan of influence inside the village. They're more afraid of the Uchiha than ever, but we can't say we haven't seen this coming."

"I heard Itachi is on security detail for the Hokage though. They trust him."

"Ah, yes, he's been well received and I am thankful for that. There is no curse in that boy's mind and I pray there never will be. I have so much hope for him."

"He could be Hokage one day. Your enemies are afraid of that. I know Itachi well enough. He's too sweet and kind to not be thought of for the role by those who value the Will of Fire. He's strong thanks to his kindness."

"Yes, he mentioned the two of you were on missions together. You left an impression and I'm thankful. He's only grown."

"Hold on to that one and love him up lots and lots because it's only going to get harder for him to break through, looking as magnificent as he does. I've been out of touch, but what I heard about Root movements while away, there haven't been any conclusive developments in our favor, eh."

Fugaku sighed like it was all he could do. The shape of his shoulders sagged and he looked down at what was left in his tea cup. "We've managed to keep Itachi out of that web, but others were not so lucky, I'm afraid."

The plum trees were in bloom and their soft petals fell every so often when the wind moved through the garden. Sakura closed her eyes, returning the bulk of her attention to the blackness that was barely there under her chakra.

"I have work I must see to after this," she murmured.

"Kushina's boy?"

Sakura hummed once.

"He is fine. We've been watching as well, but Danzo has kept his hands off the child, as expected. There is no way he could with the amount of vigilance and suspicion put upon him so far."

"Still worried about the others."

Fugaku eyed her quizzidly. "Others?"

"There is a boy, Sai, who plays with Naruto and Sasuke. No one would be watching him."

Fugaku chuckled and the noise made Sakura look up from her work to watch him. His gaze was soft and found, the way it was when he first found her in the mud and blood of her enemy. It was rare to catch him so soft after such a cruel fate, but there were moments and times.

"I am glad to hear that you have also remembered your kindness."

She snorted. "Don't you mean my 'will of fire' like all the others. You thought it went out when Kakashi sensei and the others all died."

"No, your kindness. You healed us first because of your kindness, but then it became duty and obligation. It's been a while since you were spurred on by your heart and not your duty to take any action."

"You're a soggy biscuit, old man," Sakura pouted, closing her eyes again. "I've always been this nice."

"Yes, and I'm glad you remembered."

It took almost an hour to finish removing the curse from the clan elder's brain, and when she was done Sakura felt light on her feet. Her chakra stores were fine, but it was always dizzy to come out of such a in depth healing.

She had healed the elder before, so the cleansing was easier than it could have been if the curse was fresh and new. Still, it worried her to see someone subcom to something she had already healed.

"Send word if you ever need me."

"Don't I already do that?" Fugaku asked, watching her leave.

Walking through the house Sakura paused to look down a hallway, only to hear the sound coming from the opposite end. She waited until Itachi chose to reveal himself, knowing it would be near impossible to detect him if he didn't want to be sensed.

"Sempai."

Sakura looked back over her shoulder with an unimpressed smile. "That normal for you, Itachi, to sneak up on house guests who are clearly your senior?"

"Only the ones who I think would appreciate it." He folded his hands in front and bowed slightly, hiding his smile. "It is good to see you up and about. I heard you were unwell."

"I was nothing of the sort, just a little tired, as you can see I'm fully healed."

Itachi looked her over and smiled at the lack of bandages or something else, but nodded in agreement. "Yes, I can see that. Were you on your way out? It would be rude not to see you out or walk you home."

"I'm...actually stopping by the academy. There's a couple of brats I wanted to check in on." She eyed him critically. "And I wouldn't need anyone to walk me back."

"It's just polite. But this is fortuitous. I am also planning to pick up my younger brother today. The academy doesn't release its students for another hour, however. Would you like to wait a bit and then accompany me there?"

Sakura hadn't taken notice of the time because she knew she could walk in on Iruka whenever she wanted. They had an agreement that if she ever showed up, for any reason, that would be fine as long as she helped teach the lesson and manage the kids. Aside from the first time she dropped in with her dogs, she had only visited a handful of other times in between missions, and it had been a few months since those visits.

"I suppose it would only be polite to wait until school ends." She didn't want to, but she thought it poor taste to flaunt her closeness with the teacher after Itachi offered to wait with her.

"My mother made dango for me. I remembered you like it. Would you like to share some?"

Sakura glanced at the window outside and saw her dog Dango standing up on his back legs to help him peer into the house, nose pressed close enough to wrinkle up. She couldn't see his back end but she imagined his tail going wild.

"Would you mind if we ate outside? I'm afraid I've been apart from my pack too long. They're getting agitated on their own."

She heard one of the others, likely Mop, whine loudly for her. They knew she was talking about them.

Itachi was happy to comply and brought their tray of treats outside to eat on a nearby bench inside the compound. Sakura's pack flocked around them, tails waving furiously in hopes of a treat.

"You're all terribly behaved," Sakura chastised before biting off a piece of dango for herself. The dog she named after her favorite treat whined but continued to beg with a wagging tail.

"They're adorable, as always," Itachi laughed, offering a bit of something to Chainsaw who was sitting on his feet, front paws perched on the tops of Itachi's knees. He pointed to the doberman that refused to look away from Sakura. "Did you name him because you enjoy dango or because of some other reason?"

"Nah, that's the reason. I like dango and I'm not good with names. Ah, but didn't you mention you liked dango too? It's a favorite of yours?"

Itachi hummed in agreement. "Yes, but Sasuke does not share my love of sweet things, so this is a rare treat for me. Thank you for sharing it with me. To be honest, I'm not sure my mother would have made these if I hadn't mentioned my intention to share them with you."

Sakura looked at the three colored dango dumplings on a stick and then eyed Itachi out of the corner of her eye. "Sneaky kid, how long were you planning this for? Dango takes longer than an hour to make when it looks this nice."

"My mother is the sneaky one. I'm the accomplice." His smile was just a bit too sharp to not be sly. She knew he had it in him, as kind as he was, he was still an Uchiha. Like many others in his family, he liked to live five steps ahead of others.

"Fine, then quit smirking and tell me how you've been since I've seen you last."

They caught up for the next forty five minutes before throwing away their trash and heading out in the direction of the academy early. Neither rushed, and a trek that could have taken four minutes took ten.

There were plenty of parents waiting for the kids to file out so Sakura hung back beside a tree with a swing and crossed her arms.

She noticed a few familiar faces and nodded to Shino's father as well as Kiba's mother, though she had a harder time with the later, since Tsume Inuzuka had once been like a second mother to her. After Hana died Sakura could never bring herself to be the same with their clan.

"How do you know the Aburame clan head?" Itachi asked, careful not to move his lips enough to be read by prying eyes.

"A member of their family was someone I wanted to help once, but I was unable. I am glad they do not hold it against me."

Itachi forgot to be subtle and looked straight at her. "What do you-"

His words were cut off by the sound of the bell. A hoard of children rushed out, happy to be done with the day. They looked more excited than usual and Sakura suspected it had something to do with how bruised and dusty some of them looked. It seemed it was sparring day.

A few students recognized Sakura's dogs before they noticed her, and tried to wave. She touched a finger to her lips and smiled at each.

Sasuke was one of the last ones to file out, but beside him trailed Naruto and then Sai. Sakura's eyes narrowed, looking for signs of anything abnormal, but only saw a boy with a smile too big for his face. Naruto really was just as fine as the reports claimed him to be.

Sai lagged behind the pair and Sakura might have missed it if she wasn't looking for it, but he seemed to sag in his steps. His clothing was neat, so she doubted it was the result of a spar.

"Nii san!" Sasuke exclaimed loudly. His smile was wide as he bent in and raced for his older brother. When he launched himself at his brother Itachi caught him and turned him into a swing with ease.

"Sasuke's big brother is here to pick him up, no fair!" Naruto complained. Then he noticed the dogs around Sakura and gasped. "Ah! Sakura chan!"

Mop barked loud and Souta pranced in place, eager to be pet and adored as only a child could. Chainsaw was just as loud, running for the blond boy.

Sakura waved and let the dogs drown Naruto in licks and affection. His giggles made her cheeks redden. Her heart hurt again.

"Sai, how are you?" she asked, facing him.

Sai looked where Naruto was being swallowed by fur and then up at Sasuke who was happy enough in his brother's arms before he glanced back at her. "I am well. You have returned after a long time away. I trust you were successful in your missions."

Sakura ignored the way dread settled in her gut. She knelt down and beckoned the boy over. "I'm fine. Let me have a look at you, come here."

Sai obliged and didn't even protest when Sakura began to sink her chakra into his system to check for injuries. She didn't have to look for long. The history of violence was there, fresh and old alike.

"Who's been beating you?" she asked quietly enough that only he would hear.

Sai looked up, face going blank. His eyes were unfocused as he started at a point behind her left ear. "I am well, and growing as a shinobi. I have lost several sparring matches against more fit opponents."

"Sai." Her voice was deep and left no room for nonsense. "Who?"

He glanced at her, expressionless in a way that made her insides roll. "I have no answer for you."

Sakura reached for his face and puckered his lips too roughly for him to resist. His tongue rolled out from the touch and Sakura saw the seal the same moment Itachi did.

"Repression," Itachi hissed.

Sai pulled away from Sakura and clamped two hands over his mouth, looking from her to Itachi to Naruto and then back at her. "You should not have seen that."

"It was Danzo, regardless of if he did it himself or not, that's his MO." Sakura glared over her shoulder, scanning for a figure she knew was hiding nearby. "Chainsaw."

Her tone snapped the small dog to attention and he darted away from Naruto, barking in a direction for Sakura to focus in on. The figure dropped down when she flashed him ANBU code, but stayed in the shade of a nearby storefront.

"You were watching the Uzumaki boy. Did you notice the other one was being abused?"

"Haruno kun, that was not our mission."

She knew who it was the second her chakra mixed with his so she didn't bother being polite or civil, only discrete in the streets. "Did you know,  _Hayate_?"

He hissed at her but didn't correct her. He owed her too much to go against her. "We've known, but our priority is the Uzumaki boy. If Danzo is distracted with others-"

Sakura didn't allow him to finish. She turned on her heel and left him there, going back to Sai's side. She picked him up before he could protest and glared back at where Hayate had been hiding.

"You can't tell me with that seal but you can show me who did it to you." Sakura could barely restrain herself. She wanted to scream. It was like watching the worst bits of history all over again.

"I don't want to," Sai whispered into her arm. He wouldn't look at her and turned away when Naruto and Sasuke stared at him.

"Oi, Sai, what is she talking about?" Naruto hollered. "What was that thing on your tongue? Are you sick?"

Sasuke said nothing, but his eyes were as keen as his brother's.

Itachi tugged Sasuke closer. "What will you do?" he asked, addressing Sakura.

And that was the question that made a war go off inside her, because the answer was lost to her. She wanted to tear down her enemies and kill the people who hurt Sai, who hurt Tenzin, who abused her sensei before she was even old enough to know any better.

ROOT was a cancer in the village that justified its crimes too often. Families were broken because of ROOT. Shino would never see him brother again, and plenty of orphans were going to grow up without the emotion necessary to enjoy the peace they all bled and died for.

It sickened her to know what the Hokage allowed, even after the failed assassination attempt on his life. He knew what sort of man Danzo was, he knew what sort of man his student had been, but his misplaced kindness came at the cost of so many other broken lives.

Sakura didn't want to see any of that happen again.

"Sakura chan?" Naruto called up to her. He sounded scared and it made her stiffen. He was just a ten year old kid. What was he supposed to know?

"I'm taking responsibility for something I should have long ago." She nodded to the Hokage tower. "Will you come with me, Naruto?"

"Will you need assistance?" Itachi asked. Sasuke watched without speaking.

She shook her head. "I don't think I do. If this is going to work, another person there won't make a difference, but thank you."

Naruto and Sai followed her, sandwiched between her pack members all the way to the Hokage tower. Sakura didn't stop when the secretary at the front told her she couldn't go up without an appointment. She knew if it was really an issue the hokage would have ANBU stationed outside, ready to stop anyone.

"You can't have dogs in here."

"We're not just dogs," Dango growled at the secretary who gaped and stumbled back.

"Re-regardless, you can't bring children or dogs-is that the Uzumaki boy?" The meek woman's demeanor changed and what made her mousey was gone in the blink of an eye. "What are you doing with him here?"

If the secretary really had been as dumb as she played at, Sakura would have been disappointed. She needed to credit Naruto, as it was only his appearance that shook the woman from her act.

"I have business with the hokage. If I am not seen I will wait, as will my pack," Sakura said, sounding calmer and more even with her tone than she thought she could. To the outside world she sounded as rational as could be.

"You can't just show up like this. You need an appointment, and if it's not an emergency you have to give right of way to those filing reports. You can't just walk in and expect to be seen."

Sakura stopped outside the doors, knowing she would be touched and stopped if she tried to open them herself. Dumb secretaries weren't the first line of defense for nothing.

Carefully, Sakura lowered herself down to sit on the backs of her feet, legs folded underneath her. She flared her chakra and waited, eyes glued to the door. "He'll see me. He knows I'm here with Naruto."

"You shouldn't be. He's not-"

The doors opened and on the other side Sarutobi looked up from his desk. He smiled warmly at the secretary in a way that meant it was all alright. "I didn't know I would have guests tonight. Satomi san, will you bring us some tea. If you have it, the white kind."

Satori the secretary gaped but nodded all the same. She didn't look at Sakura but turned around to go retrieve the tea he requested.

Sarutobi craned his neck as if he needed to to see who else was waiting along with Sakura. "Oh, and if it isn't Naruto and Sai. It looks like you have quite the party. Are you sure you're not interested in becoming a sensei, Haruno kun?" he teased. There was mirth in his voice and a shine to his eyes.

"Permission to enter, sir?"

He waved her in. Sai looked away and Naruto made a noise of displeasure before Dango trotted over to lick his face. The other dogs were quick to circle around Naruto and Sai, keeping them close together and well watched.

"They'll be fine outside, come in, Haruno kun."

Sakura walked in and the door shut behind her. Sarutobi was smoking at his pipe but he watched her from his desk. When Sakura stiffly bowed he waved her off.

"What's this about. I thought you already gave your report for the mission. You should be resting. You were only just recently discharged." He gave her a stern look and then added, "I'm not sending you out on anything else so soon so don't ask."

"I wasn't going to sir. I did have a request though. A while back you told me that ROOT was disbanded and no longer operational."

She saw his expression darken. ROOT was't a topic he liked discussing, especially not with her. She had made her point of view clear more than once. Still, he nodded as a trail of smoke eased past his lips. "I have indeed. What is this about?"

"There is a child I've been watching from the academy and I believe he has been identified or selected for something similar to a child soldier program. I don't want to look into if it really is the same ROOT or not that you know the council member Danzo to be a part of, but regardless, I am concerned for the child's welfare.

The hardness wasn't as hard anymore. "Oh. You say you've been watching a child. It's not Naruto kun, is it?"

"No sir. I have grown close to Naruto, but the one I'm talking about is Sai. There is a silencing seal on his tongue already. I don't know where it came from or why it is there, but while he has never been the most open and talkative child, I've noticed a change in personality and demeanor. I am concerned for his welfare."

"He is close to Naruto. If something were to happen to him it would be noticed."

"With all due respect, sir, it wouldn't."

Sakura then went on to explain her conversation with Hayate and added the stories that Iruka had helped supply her with, of how Sai had grown colder and more distant with the other children while his test scores skyrocketed.

Tea came and the two moved to sit and take it together while Sakura went on. When she was done their tea was still warm, but not steaming.

"Even my pack members are distressed. They can tell his emotions are unbalanced."

"What would you have me do about this situation then, Haruno kun? You want me to move the boy somewhere else, or do you think it is too late?" He waved a hand out towards the window where desk was making things dim. "You should know better than I how weak a solution that really is."

Sakura did know. Moving Sai wouldn't do much. ROOT was an organization that stayed in the shadows and operated where things were unseen. They would be able to get to Sai, an orphan boy that ANBU didn't want to bother to keep an eye out for.

Sakura looked into her tea cup, watching her reflection as she spoke. "As I understand it, there is a lot of work inside the village that you need shinobi for. Instead of being sent back out, do you think that I might find work closer to home?"

Sarutobi chuckled. "Would you be interested in security detail within the village? Your skill set really isn't suited to it unless you're considering a teaching position, and I know you mentioned how fond you were of that idea."

Sakura winced at the idea of being a sensei. It still wasn't appealing.

"I doubt I'd be any good at teaching, but being overqualified for security isn't a problem if I'm not demanding extra pay. I'll take jonin or even chunin rates."

"And this is so that you can stay close and keep an eye on the boy?" Sarutobi asked. He blew out another trail of smoke that smelled like tea and tobacco.

Sakura thought of Sai and couldn't help but see a little of Tenzin in him. She didn't want to, but she couldn't help it. He was in a dark place right now, and if she didn't do something now, no one would be able to pull him out of that horror. No one would care because he would be a good soldier who didn't complain. No one complained when all the boys and girls Tenzin was raised beside went missing. This would be no different.

_'I didn't think anyone cared. Thank you Sakura!'_

Her heart felt like it was bleeding but she pushed the memory away of her treasured teammate.

"I've been complacent too long and not done all I could. I need to stop hiding and face the responsibilities that come from my convictions." Sakura looked up from her tea. "If I think something is wrong I need to do something about it, not just call it out. Please, let me do something about Sai."

She pushed away from the table and touched her head to the floor, lowering herself as much as possible.

There was a moment of silence where the smoke drifted between them. Then she heard him speak. "Is this your Will of Fire, Sakura? Is this how you burn?"

"I will not watch more horrors come to children in front of my eyes. Not when I can do something about it."

"Even when they might become soldiers we need. You nearly died on your last mission because of enemies we are only starting to understand. There may yet been another war for us to defend."

"Or there may not be, but-"

Sakura felt her words get caught up somewhere in her throat. Her eyes hurt and her chest throbbed with a pain around her heart, not at all unlike when she knew Iruka was looking at her, but worse. He waited until she could speak again without interrupting her train of thought.

"If we can't protect our children and raise them in the light, what are we fighting for?"

"Survival …dominance… victory."

"All hallow when won with the blood of our youngest." Even bowed Sakura fisted her fingers under her head. "I believe in a Konohagakure that is strong because of the bonds between its people, not the darkness of their hearts."

Sakura's body grew sore on the floor, but Sarutobi was quiet, watching and thinking as his smoke curled up around him. Finally he exhaled and shifted in his seat towards her, tapping her shoulder.

"That's enough, rise now. I've thought it over enough. You sound like you mean it, so I'm giving this mission to you."

Sakura unfolded from her bow, legs aching. "Mission sir?"

"It's a condition for you getting your way with that boy."

Sakura waited, feeling her breath catch. What would she have to sell for that child's soul?

"Sir?"

"It's a package deal. You want to make sure that kid is safe then the only way to do that is take him yourself. He is an orphan, why don't you adopt him? Ah, but one would be a lonely way to go, and Sai needs someone close to him already, someone that could help him open up. So here is your mission, Haruno kun; you'll adopt both Naruto and Sai to raise as your own. You're one of the only ones with clearance and high enough seal work to be able to contain the fox should it break free."

He pointed with his pipe to her fake arm made of her old teammate's wood. It wasn't her skill so much as it was Tenzin's ability left on her. But it would work. If she needed to, it would be able to hold Naruto back.

"It won't come to that," Sakura answered, folding one arm over the other, keeping her fake limb out of sight.

"You still think you can do it. Raising two boys, circumstances not standing, is a lot of work for a single person." He leaned over the table, eyeing her. "Are you still so sure you could manage such a thing?"

Sakura met his gaze without wavering.

"Yes, sir."

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

_ THINGS WE LOST TO THE FIRE _ _Chapter 6_

Things we lost to the flame  
Things we'll never see again  
All that we've amassed  
Sits before us, shattered into ash

These are the things, the things we lost  
 **The things we lost in the fire, fire, fire**  
These are the things, the things we lost  
 **The things we lost in the fire, fire, fire**

* * *

_Years later, living alone in the woods with half a dozen dogs, questionable reading material, and crippling attachment issues, Sakura realizes she turned into her teacher. Agebent Sakura Sensei_

* * *

It might have been an elaborate manipulation to dump the jinjuriki on someone they could count on to keep him in line with mediocre Fūinjutsu, but Sakura was surprised by how she didn't mind any of it.

"The two of you are going to have to share a room for the night. I'll...do something about it tomorrow I guess, but I only have one guest room with enough free space to put out a futon. Shoot, I think I have two futons. Let me check."

Sakura thought she was more put together, but the more she tried to set the two boys up the more she realized how ill equipped she was for taking care of guests. She hadn't hosted anyone in a long while.

She looked back over her shoulder and saw a shell shocked looking Sai and a dazed Naruto. Neither boy looked 100% mentally present, and she felt partially responsible for that. It had been a long day and now it was night.

"Let's get you boys something to eat first. Are you hungry?"

"I guess so," Naruto answered first, looking out the window at the dark in the sky. "But not really. If you don't have anything that is."

"Will you be terribly upset if I just made something quick like ramen for you boys?" Sakura asked, already looking in her kitchen for what wasn't expired. She would need to go shopping soon.

"Ramen, really!" Naruto hollered, running into the kitchen with new energy. "Yes please, yes please, yes please Sakura chan!"

Not nearly as loud or as excitable as Naruto, Sai let himself into the kitchen and watched wordlessly as Sakura put on the water to boil while also preparing the packets of noodles in bowls.

"I'm sorry but I don't have much of anything else to offer, and it's only for tonight. I'll go to the market tomorrow to get more vegetables."

Naruto pouted cutely at her words, crossing his arms and glaring up at her he struck her as someone cute trying to be fierce. "I was so excited until you said the V word."

"You want to be Hokage one day so you'll need to grow up strong. Sorry but it's another sad fact of life, if you want to be strong you gotta face some discomfort. Like when you train your muscles and they get sore. Eating foods you don't like is sorta like that. It may be unpleasant, but it'll be worth it in the end."

"I'm pretty sure I can be Hokage without vegetables though. And if no one ever has done it, I'll be the first!"

Sakura hummed in good humor. "Will you help set the table with your places, Naruto and Sai?"

She handed each their ramen bowls with the dried noodles and told them where they could sit and where they could get chopsticks. Less than a minute later she brought over the near boiling water to pour over their noodles.

Naruto was bouncing in his seat. "My least favorite thing in the world is the three minutes it takes ramen to be done, but that's okay because ramen is one of my favorite things ever."

"And what about you, Sai? What's one of your favorite things to eat?" Sakura asked.

"Are you really going to keep us?"

Sakura paused, settling the kettle back down. Sai wasn't looking at her, but stared at the edge of his bowl.

"Yes I am, that's usually what happens when you adopt someone. You're going to stay here with me and the dogs but you'll still go to the academy and do all your usual stuff...just...you'll come home here."

"Why?" This time he looked up at her but his eyes were just as empty as she feared. "Why would you do something you suspected of being-"

His words caught and Sakura suspected why that was.

"It doesn't matter if you or Naruto complicate things. It doesn't matter what you see or do while you're here. There's nothing here to see worth spying on, nothing worth taking, and no one worth hurting this far up. I don't care about any of that. You shouldn't worry too, just leave that to the adults."

There was a flicker of something across his face and Sai clicked his tongue, glancing back down at his ramen bowl. "You are foolish."

"Maybe," she hummed back. "But I'd rather be a fool that does the right thing than the opposite. Besides, you're too young to worry about consequences or anything like that. Be a kid a little more, why don't you."

Outside there was a long howl and then the stampede as the rest of her pack came racing back in from their patrol. Mop came right up to the table and whined at Naruto for food until Sakura chased him away. Their food was already set out, but they loved table scraps too much not to try.

"Check your ramen, it's probably done."

Sakura left the table to dress up the one spare guest room for the boys, pulling down all the spare blankets and mats she could to make the single extra futon look bigger than it really was. When she came back Naruto was halfway through his bowl and Sai had just started his.

"You're not hungry, or do you not like it. I'm sorry it's so bland. I'll get something better for you tomorrow."

Sai looked up at her, eyes speaking in a language she couldn't decipher before returning to his ramen. He hesitated, but reached to pull the bowl closer and angel his chopsticks in. Sakura let go of a breath she hadn't known she was holding once Sai began to eat.

She sat down across from the boys and Chainsaw leapt away from Naruto to bound up into her lap where he circled once before laying down. He let out a happy pip that she knew was because of the new company. He was more sociable that the others, and she didn't doubt that it was because of his age as well as his breed.

"What are you studying in class right now?"

The only time Naruto shut up was when his mouth was full of ramen and he had to swallow, and even then he still tried to tell her about his classes. Sai had to admonish him once for being stupid and choking himself.

"It's okay, Sai, cause you usually keep me alive, right?" Naruto laughed.

Sai's frame deflated a bit. "It's not an easy job."

"But you do a real better job of it than Sasuke. He just lets me get hurt all the time and tells me it's my fault or calls it a lesson or whatever."

"It's 'a better job' not 'a real better job' so say it right," Sai whispered before looking down into his ramen.

"The two of you get along so well," Sakura interjected. "How long have you known each other for?"

Naruto perked up. "Oh, like, for a long time, but Sai's the only one who would play with me. And then Sai beat up Sasuke one time and then Sasuke plays with me now even though it's only because he wants Sai around. His dad makes him be friends with strong people."

"I don't think Sasuke's dad makes Sasuke pick out his friends like that, but he probably influences him to be like his brother."

"Yeah, Itachi has tons of old people friends like you. It's the same for Sasuke."

Naruto frowned at the bottom of his bowl and then looked at Sai's. The quieter of the two boys huffed loudly before pushing his ramen into Naruto's delighted hands.

"You're not hungry, Sai?" Sakura asked. She couldn't help but worry.

"I am more tired than hungry," he answered without looking up at her. "I would like to rest soon."

Sakura hummed in acknowledgment. She picked Chainsaw up off her lap and dropped him down onto Sai's lap, who stiffened at the presence of the young dog. "Watch him while I get some last few things ready."

It wasn't clear if Sai needed to watch Chainsaw or if the dog needed to watch the boy.

She returned with pajamas that used to belong to a different boy, only a little larger than either of them. Naruto and Sai both swam in this shirts, but didn't complain with the brand new toothbrushes that Sakura made them use before bed.

At the doorway she watched them run around the mattresses on the floor before looking down at her pack. "Who's watching tonight?" she asked.

Souta was the fastest, but Mop and Chainsaw ran in after. Dango looked up at Sakura with one paw lifted, ready to cross the threshold. Sakura rolled her eyes and waved him on. If he wanted to sleep with the kids he could. "Just keep an eye on the pale one. That's a Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal he has. I don't doubt he's already seen enough but that bastard will likely want him to see more."

"If you suspected him of being a spy why did you bring him into your home?" Dango asked, fur ruffling in agitation.

"Doesn't matter if he is a spy. He's still a kid and he needs someone to take care of him."

Dango lowered his head. "I'll watch him for you, don't worry, but who will stay with you?"

"I'm a grown woman, I don't need anyone. Don't look at me like that."

Dango shifted the weight of his body from one side to the other, looking like he didn't believe her. Even without human speech, Sakura knew what he was thinking and what he wanted to say, but she didn't give him the opportunity to.

"Stay with them, I'm turning in for the night. I'll call Waffles but you can let her know what's going on," Sakura said over her shoulder. She walked back into her room with the silver whistle between her lips.

By the time she had finished showering and dressing for the night, the patch of midnight sky in paws was resting at the foot of her bed. Waffles looked up and Sakura sighed, reading the look.

"I'm fine, really."

Waffles made a sound and Sakura knew what the wolf was trying to say. "You're never fine on your own."

"Don't treat me like a pup. I'm old enough to know how to sleep on my own."

Sakura moved to her bed and pulled out a small box that was long enough to fit her wooden arm into. She laid her arm into the setting and then closed the lid before pushing it back under the bed with her heel. She had taken off her prosthetic to shower, and didn't feel like wearing it to bed.

When she had been on missions, Sakura had rarely taken the prosthetic off at night. It was on more than it was off, more so because of the constant threat level and less because of her own vanity. The others on her squad knew...but not really. They didn't really get to see what had happened to her. She knew Itachi had been curious, and that only made sense because he was the youngest and the only one who hadn't been around to hear the stories when it actually happened.

Sakura rolled back the flapping sleeve up to her shoulder and reached out to rub her fingers over the shiny scarred lines that made a web over the stub. It had been so long, but it was still hard to get used to.

In the doorway Dango made a whining sound while Waffles sat silently.

"Use your words."

"You're feeling gloomy again. You're playing with your bad arm."

Sakura snorted. "It's not a bad arm, it's a stump. There's no arm left."

Dango sounded pained as he rounded the bed to sit directly in front of her and lay his head in her lap, pushing himself as close as he could. "It's hurting you."

"It doesn't feel like anything right now. I'm not in any pain," Sakura said.

"Liar, I can tell, it's hurting you right now."

Sakura thought about for a moment and then sighed. "It's not a physical pain, so there's nothing to do about it. No use in worrying about things you can't fix or change."

More than the missing arm, it was the missing people that Sakura would let herself cry for. She could no longer hold her friends in tight bear hugs, not because of her missing arm, but because they were ashes in a urn left to be scattered somewhere by their family members.

Hana was in the soil on her clan's lands, but Kakashi and Tenzo were still in their pots, packaged up and waiting for her to find a place to let them go.

Sakura exhaled suddenly and it shook her heart into a flutter. SHe forced a smile onto her face for Dango and rubbed his ears fondly.

"You're going to make me feel worse than I do if you pity me like that. I thought you said you were going to be watching over the boys so go back already."

"I wanted to check in on you. The loud one is already asleep."

"I thought he would be. He looked like the type to use all his energy up in a day."

She scratched his head once more and then pushed him off her lap. Dango backed up, but didn't leave her room until a look from Waffles convinced him it really would be okay.

"Stupid overgrown pup," Sakura whispered to herself in affection.

The first night she wasn't surprised when her pack told her Sai had laid awake for most of the nights, too tense to fall asleep. After three days she made sure to make him her mother's famous 'bednight tea' that was really just chamomile tea.

He slept better after that, but her dogs still watched him to make sure that nerves were the only thing making him restless.

On the forth night someone tried to contact Sai.

Sakura didn't let them get far.

"Tell Danzo he's going to lose more men than it's worth if he wants to take this kid back," she hissed into the ear of the ROOT agent who lay pinned beneath Waffle's giant paw.

Sakura had ripped his left arm from its socket but left the agent alive as a warning. The  _only_  reason she left him alive at all was because she needed her message to get to that old man's ears. There was no way he would show up in public with her around, after all. They had history that made it a bad idea for anyone who wanted to preserve the lie that was Konohagakure's innocence.

Sakura pulled her kuni out of his hand and wiped it on her thigh, watching him shake from the pain. He turned around to look up at her from underneath his white, blank mask. He should have been emotionless, but there was real fear there, in what little she could see of his eyes.

Good.

He started to rise, but paused as if sound guessing himself. He looked from her to Waffles, disbelief in the edges of his fram until Sakura stomped hard enough to crack a bit of the earth.

"Now!" she snarled, rising her voice as loud as she dared with two minors asleep indoors. Her home was only a handful of paces away.

He didn't say anything, but grabbed at his bleeding stump and dashed off into the night, leaking blood all the way back.

"Do you think you could follow his trail without being spotted?" Sakura asked.

Easily.

Waffles growled low but bent her head and flickered out of focus, blending into the night seamlessly. She sometimes looked more like a forgotten fragment of the night sky and less like an actual animal.

Sakura huffed and ran a hand through her lose bangs, hating how long they had grown. She would need to trim them soon. They were getting in her way when she fought. All of her hair was actually a mess from lack of care, but she didn't feel the need to address it until it almost cost her, her life.

"That had been closer than I would like to admit," she muttered under her breath before staggering back indoors.

In the middle of the night she ran the shower for herself and washed away the blood before sealing up the wounds the rest of the way. She was too tired to do more than that.

When she emerged from the bath Sai was there, a dark figure breaking up the shaft of light cast from the bathroom. His eyes were heavy and narrowed. A tired kid who saw too much.

"Why did you do that?"

"I didn't want to stink so I took a shower," Sakura answered flippantly. She knew when he meant but if he wasn't going to tell her explicitly what he meant she wouldn't answer him the way he wanted her to.

"You know what I mean."

She hummed low in her throat. "You should tell me with your words what you mean otherwise I might misunderstand."

Sakura fisted her one good hand on her hip, ignoring the way the sleeve of her robe fluttered uselessly without the prosthetic.

Sai looked away from her, glaring at the shadow of a dog in the doorway before glancing back over to Sakura, searching her body for something.

"You don't look hurt."

"Showers don't hurt people," Sakura teased with a knowing grin.

"I wouldn't have been hurt either. You should have just not bothered." He swallowed. "I would have been fine."

Sakura felt her heart hurt again and suspected that, as much as she hated to admit it, a part of her already belonged to the boy with a broken past. She didn't want to, but she found herself caring again.

'Kakashi sensei forgive me, I swore I wouldn't do this again.'

Sakura knelt down in front of Sai so that she had to look up into his face. She smiled softly and he didn't pull away when she reached for his hand.

"I would have done it even if that was true."

She didn't believe for a second Sai would be left untouched if they made contact with him again. He had been unable to send any of the ink messages she knew he could create because of her vigilance and the vigilance of her pack.

Sai stared at where her hand held his. "I think you might be a foolish woman."

"I'd rather be a fool than the alternative."

"What is the alternative?"

"Lonely."

He didn't say anything, but walked back to his room with Dango. Sakura stayed up the rest of the night, waiting until Waffles came back with information about a possible underground entrance to where Danzo had his Root operatives enter and exit.

She skipped the bed and fell asleep in a chair with her good arm resting on Waffle's back. She'd be ready if anything happened again.

Another day went by without incident, leaving her on the weekend with two boys and no idea of what to do. She had been on guard duty during the hours they were in school, but like most responsibilities, she had days off before she would have to man such a post again.

When she asked the boys what they wanted to do on their day off Sai had said nothing and Naruto had hollered about training in the woods with Sasuke, so Sakura asked Fugaku if the boys could have a play day.

Itachi came with Sasuke to help supervise. Shisui came to be annoying.

"How mean. I came because I was worried about you, having to manage a couple of little terrors all on your own. Can't a friend be concerned?"

"I already spoke with Guy," Sakura quipped.

Shisui pouted. "So mean Sakura chaaaaaan."

Sakura restrained her irritation, least it show on her face. "Shouldn't you be on a mission right now?"

Shisui rolled his eyes dramatically. "No, people are running away from me scared instead of getting in my way it seems. I've achieved it. I'm ninja famous."

"That means you're worth more to the bounty hunters. It's been nice knowing you most of the time. Sorry to see you go to pay someone else's mortgage," Sakura said in complete deadpan.

Shisui laughed and tilted to brush one shoulder into hers. He was taller than her now, even though she was a few years older, it had been a while now since he had to look up to her and he seemed to delight in reminding her of the change.

"You do not need to spend your time off helping me watch Sasuke kun," Itachi commented.

He added a subtle head nod in Shisui's direction in either thanks or respect. He didn't seem to mind the banter between his older cousin or senpai. Sasuke didn't grab for Itachi's shirt anymore, but still pressed himself close to his brother's side, glaring at Shisui from underneath his bangs. For some reason this seemed to delight Shisui.

"Don't bother thanking me, I'm happy to come out and help out a pair of friends. I haven't seen Senpai in so long and it's rare you're here in the village the same time as me, Itachi. I think today is going to be a fun sort of day, don't you?"

Chainsaw came over to Shisui and started to lift his leg. Sakura smirked but didn't warn the older ninja. It proved unnecessary since Shisui was a blur before the urine could touch him, but he was off her shoulder and Chainsaw seemed satisfied.

Sasuke snickered.

"OOOOOIIIIIIIIIIII, TEME, YOU CAME!"

The group looked up as one to watch Naruto barrel out of the house and into Sasuke, tackling the youngest Uchiha into the ground. Sasuke didn't stay down, though, and countered the tackle seamlessly, flipping Naruto high into the air. Naruto landed and swung low with his fist, but Sasuke pared that to the side and stepped onto Naruto's arm. Naruto went down but he didn't stay there.

In no time at all the pair were back into their forms, sparing without prompt or heeding. Itachi started to walk towards them when Shisui's call made him stop.

"What are you planning on doing to those two?" Shisui laughed.

"They should not be fighting so carelessly. If they want to spar they should-"

"Boring!" Shisui interrupted. Sakura sighed but stayed silent while Shisui went on to explain. "It's more legitimate this way. When you're out there on a mission the enemy won't come in and announce his presence to you. Come on, you and I were raised like that."

"Yes, but this-we are guests and Sasuke has not even greeted Sakura. It- it's not polite," Itachi explained, voice growing softer and quieter the more he explained, looking to Sakura for...what? Permission? Reassurance?

"It's fine." She waved at the boys in the dirt. "Let them do as they wish. It doesn't matter if they're raised with wartime tactics or not. They want to fight so let them." She glanced behind her. "Do you want to join them, Sai?"

The other two Uchiha turned to look behind her and see the last of the trio standing still, observing his friends with passive eyes.

He glanced to Sakura and then looked down at the boys. "No, I will wait until they are done."

Shisui smirked. "Smart kid."

Sakura hummed in agreement. She glanced to the trees and then back at the two boys. Dango was sitting at her side and she reached for his head to rub. "You remember the smallest forest god shrine?

Dago looked up at her, ears perked and alert. "Of course."

"You up for some training?"

Dango's ears twitched as he understood the meaning behind her words. "Of course."

Sakura left Shisui's side to come up behind Naruto and pick him up by the scruff of his jacket, plucking him out of his spar and causing Sasuke to skid to a halt.

"You boys look like you have too much energy. You said you wanted to train so lets train." She dropped Naruto and folded her arms, legs braced in a powerful stance.

"Training?" Sai echoed.

He joined Naruto's side after a quick look over. He didn't see anything that caused him concern and returned his attention to Sakura without another word. It only made her more convinced he had been instructed by ROOT to spy on Naruto and keep his eyes on the boy.

"Survival training."

At her word Mop and Souta barked loudly. Dango's tail started to wag so fast it swept the ground where he sat. Chainsaw began to run in circles around them all.

Itachi and Shisui shared a look.

"Survival training?" Sasuke echoed. "What is that?"

"It's what it sounds like. You're going to try and survive by reaching a small shrine in the forest. You get to chose one member of my pack to help you from the ones you see here. They are the only ones who know the location of this small shrine, not you, so if they're slower than you, and they're not, you'll have to protect them there from the others in the pack."

Naruto's hand went up but he didn't wait before he blurted out his question. "What about Waffles cause I don't see her here at all?"

"Waffles doesn't count." Sakura grinned. "I did mention that you chose from the ones you see here, didn't I?"

Sai glanced sideways at Naruto when the blond cursed.

"What are you going to be doing while we are chased?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura pulled a small book out of her back pocket. "Catching up on my reading, obviously," she sighed, nose already pushed into her book.

"Oi, so you're not even going to do anything? That's lazy!"

"I don't do anything the first time, kid If you survive then you get to try again...but you don't get any help from anyone in the pack and have to remember the safe location with just memory to help you. You do well the third time and I join in."

"And if we survive a fourth time?" Sasuke asked, watching her oddly.

"There won't be a fourth time, but maybe your relatives can make themselves useful." Sakura glanced over the top of her book at Itachi and Shisui.

Shisui threw his hands behind his head. "I just want to do whatever Sakura chan is doing. If she goes after the brats I'll help."

"That doesn't seem fair," Itachi said, looking between Sakura and then the boys."

"You want to help the kids out?" Shisui teased.

Sasuke's eyes lit up in delight before he glanced Sakura's way and then turned sharply away. "W-we don't need your help."

Itachi withered a little. "If you wish to do this without aid I respect that, Sasuke kun."

"Hn," Sasuke said, flicking some hair out of his eyes.

Sakura kept herself from chuckling dryly. He was so young but he was already starting to act like a peacock. He was more like Shisui than he wanted to admit. Sakura remembered when Shisui had been that age or a little younger and so caught up in the silly things like looks and rank and being the best.

When Sakura looked up she caught Shisui's eyes and saw that he was grinning, most likely thinking the same thing.

"Make your choice, boys," Sakura instructed.

Naruto started to talk but Sasuke cut him off and pulled him into a huddle. The three talked together with their backs to the others, words hissed and whispered among themselves.

Sakura had a suspicion but waited until they were done without offering a single comment.

Sasuke turned first. "We choose Souta."

"What led you to that decision?" Itachi asked.

"Souta is the fastest of the pack. Chainsaw will be able to sense us no matter where we are, but choosing him to eliminate the other team's advantage wouldn't amount to much if the other dogs could track us by smell just as easily," Sai began.

"All of Sakura's dogs are like super amazing, they'll be able to find us easy, so we just have to be the fastest."

"What about the strongest? You have to defend Souta," Shisui said.

"Doesn't matter how strong you are if you can't catch anything," Sasuke snorted. He missed the way his older cousin preened at the answer.

"They're right about Souta being the fastest," Sakura answered, reaching down with her free hand to scratch Souta's back, right above his rear legs. "But keep in mind your own limits when you're out there."

"What does that mean?" Naruto asked.

"Doesn't matter, on your markreadygetsetGO!" Shisui shouted.

Naruto was the last to react but scrambled loudly and was right behind Sasuke in an instant. Souta barked once before becoming a white blur between the trees, his narrow face pointed like an arrow as he flew faster than one.

Sakura held her pack back with a single word and didn't let them go until a full three minutes had passed. It was just enough time to make it balance out the children's low stamina. Souta was indeed the fastest dog, but that didn't mean the boys would be able to keep up with him. Naruto had a lot of energy, but not even he had the strength to go that fast that long for that far.

Sakura flipped a page in her book and then glanced up at the Uchiha who remained. Shisui was grinning like mad and even Itachi appeared delighted.

"Shall we shadow them then?" Sakura asked. She flickered away a second later.

"You're cruel, Sakura chan," Shisui laughed. "You don't think it will take them long at all, eh?"

"We might be surprised. Naruto will slow them down, but he's also the wild card. As long as he is there Sai won't show his true abilities so that just leaves Sasuke to excel."

"True abilities?" Itachi echoed.

Sakura pulled the scarf around her neck up to hide her mouth. "That kid is probably chunin level by now. He's been getting night training or something in addition to his day classes with Naruto. He hides it to stay with Naruto and watch him."

She didn't say anything more but when she leapt up into the trees the Uchiha were matching flickers that flanked her on either side. The kept up with her without issue and hung back in the shadows to watch the trio of boys lag behind Souta's tail while the rest of pack nipped at their heels.

"So, after this, dinner?" Shisui purred, landing on the branch beside her before jumping off right after her. When they touched down he picked up right where he had left off. "I'll cook. I'm great at it."

When he landed on the next branch her heel caught his and hooked around to toss him backwards. Itachi watched his cousin go falling but didn't make an effort to catch him. He frowned to himself, momentarily confused at why he hadn't tried to help.

The boys didn't make it to the shrine. Their stamina made them slower than Mop and Dango, and even Chainsaw was able to catch them in the end. They insisted on another run but it ended very much the same.

On the third run Sakura let them choose one more dog from her pack so it was a little more in their favor. What she didn't tell them was that she had added herself to the hunt.

Shisui and Itachi watched but Sakura would drop down and throw things at the boys to spur them on. She'd land close enough to whisper warnings and snap her elongated teeth by their ears but didn't do much more than that.

At one point she separated them with a chop to the earth. Naruto and Sasuke caught each other and kept running, trusting Sai to catch up to them. They knew Sai was stronger than either of them and trusted him to rejoin them.

That's why Sakura cornered him.

When she pressed him into the ground he flipped her over his form and attacked with a speed he hadn't shown to either Sasuke or Naruto. Sakura's kuni met his and she reached under his arm for his neck but he dragged his kuni down and onto her hand. I bit wood and became lodged in her fake arm. The wood thrummed and healed to push the kuni out and seal the wedge cut into it.

Sakura grinned when his ink brush came out and became the face of a tiger, roaring off his arm-the only canvas he had. Sakura tore through it easily and dove under the birds. She was faster than that and before long she was on top of the boy, pinning him down.

Her eyes were flashing and her fangs on full display.

"Now with you out of the way I can do what I want to the jinchuriki brat. Danzo won't be able to stop me once I kill you."

Sai's eyes went wide. "I knew it!" Then they narrowed into a heated glare. It was the first time she had seen any raw emotion from him. This was the most honest he had ever been with him.

"What did you think you were going to do? Protect him forever?" Sakura snarled. "He's a monster and needs to be killed."

"He's my friend and I won't let-you!" Sai screamed and thrashed, unable to break free. His eyes were fierce and leaking tears. "He's my friend!"

"I'm going to kill you now, boy." Sakura lowered her teeth. "I'm going to rip out your throat."

Sai squeezed his eyes shut and the tears fell more freely. He braced for it, but Sakura just reached up to kiss his forehead and wipe away the tears. He blinked, startled and confused.

Sakura's hands were warm with healing chakra as she closed up the cut on his cheek and then the ones on his fingers. He watched her in wonder, unable to comprehend what was going on. Her fangs were gone and so was the wildness in her eyes.

"What…?"

"I needed to be sure." She sat back and then helped him up. "You were told by Danzo to watch Naruto, and I feared it was because he wanted someone to do something bad to Naruto, but now I don't believe that's possible."

"I wouldn't have done that to my friend," Sai bit, glaring at her again. "Not like you. He told me about you, how you left your teammates to die and how I shouldn't trust you."

Sakura went still. "He said that?"

Sai nodded. "He said the boy Tenzo died when you ran away, trying to protect you. The girl with the dogs died the same way. You're the only one alive because you abandoned your friends. You don't care for Naruto."

"Is that what you believe?"

She felt hurt like a knife in her throat. She reached around her neck for the whistle and blew for Waffles. She stepped into the clearing mere moments later. Sakura reached out for her black fur with shivering fingers.

"This is Waffles, but Hana named her  _Ahmya_  which means black rain. She was a gift from Hana to me, so that Hana would be able to somehow always...protect me from somewhere. When Hana died I stopped calling Ahmya, Ahmya and changed her name to Waffles...something silly and stupid. But, Waffles would never have stayed with me if I really did betray Hana the way you said I did."

Waffles growled low in her throat and then nuzzled into Sakura's side, seeking to comfort her shivering master.

Sakura reached up and tore away her shirt sleeve and ripped off the glove. The harness and wood of her prosthetic were now fully displayed. Sakura ran her hand over the wood.

"This was a gift from my other teammate Tenzo who could use wood release in battle. He….he made this for me when I lost my arm on one of our last missions."

Sakura pushed on a compartment and it opened. Inside was a handful of senbon and a small scroll. Sai watched without speaking.

"Our mission had been to bring a scroll like this back to the village and we put it in my arm. I was still weaker than them...my arm was still a handicap but they gave it to me." It was hard to breath but Sakura forced the words out. "It's...this is the reason why I survived. Why I went on ahead of them and made it home."

Sai was silent.

"Maybe Danzo spoke a little truth, because my sensei always said that those who abandon the mission are trash, but those who abandon their friends are worse than trash. I believe that to this day."

"I wouldn't have left Naruto behind."

Sakura's voice grew soft with each word and her eyes stared off to somewhere else, far away. "I did. That was protocol. I thought they could handle it. I had been hurt and couldn't help so they told me to go on ahead."

_"Believe in me, Sakura chan."_

_"Idiot, it's US, believe in US, Sakura chan."_

She blamed herself and blamed herself and heard the reports blaming her, but like the formal inquiry, she kept coming back to the fact that their mission had gone south in a real bad way real fast only after she left them behind. With Hana and Tenzo there had been an additional two Jounin, one of which survived and was able to give a testimony about how enemies from nowhere came to outnumber them.

Sakura had been forgiven for running and then hailed as a hero for completing the mission. And because she was a medic at the moment for that mission, it was all appropriate. They didn't blame her for it like the had Kakashi's father….though they should have.

Sakura held up her wooden arm. "If I had truly abandoned the boy I loved his arm would have withered on me and died, like it should have. But it's still alive and protecting me for some reason. I want to believe that's because he's still watching out for me from somewhere."

"Then why won't you forgive yourself, if you say you're not to blame?" Sai asked.

Sakura looked up, seeing him. "What?"

"You don't sleep well. You have nightmares and that's why the dogs get up to treat you in the night. You may have been officially cleared of blame but in your heart you know that it's still your faul-Ack!"

Waffles had pinned Sai down and was growling in his face, hackles up and wild.

"Ignorant child!" The wolf seethed, unable to help herself from speaking out. Waffles never spoke, but that wasn't because she couldn't. "You speak of matters you know nothing of!"

"Waffles," Sakura tried. Her hand was shaking but she pet down her black fur.

"No, this cur speaks out of place of things he knows nothing of. I was there! I was there for it all. You protected me too!"

Sakura didn't say anything.

"Sakura did nothing wrong," Waffles growled at Sai. "You're too young and too brainwashed to know better, but my master blames herself more than she should-not because of truth, in spite of it! There are demons in her heart. She lost more than anyone that day. Speak to her like that again and I will snap your neck."

Sakura pulled on Waffles, sliding in to stand with her back to Sai. "That's enough, Waffles. He's mine, you can't hurt him."

Waffles backed up and lowered her head. A moment later she reached out and licked at Sakura's face. Sakura scratched Waffles back and then the black dog was gone.

"I'm not going to tell you what to believe, that's up to you. But I won't hurt Naruto, and I trust you won't either, that's enough for me." Sakura offered him her hand. "Let's go find the others."

When they made it to the shrine where everyone was waiting. Itachi wouldn't meet her eyes and she had a feeling she knew why, but neither of them said anything.

Shisui came up behind Sakura and rested an arm on her shoulder. "Great, we look ready for afternoon snacks, my treat?"

* * *

Sakura was surprised to see Guy before she heard him, but was was even more shocking was the trio that trailed behind him.

"Senpai!" she hollered, cupping hands around her mouth.

She waved him down and he leapt the distance without a second thought, leaving the three mini people to dash off after him.

"You had a kid?" Sakura hissed behind her hand, looking at one of the miniature people in particular. "What happened?"

"You were out of the village on the spectacular day and did not hear my youthful news!" Guy boomed while striking a pose. "Behold, my legacy!"

"Guy sensei, it is an honor to be considered your legacy!" the one that looked like his clone hollered with tears in his eyes.

Sakura blinked once, looking behind the little green terror to the other children who looked just as exhausted. The one with Hyuga eyes looked pissed off while the girl appeared more exasperated than anything.

"Who are you?" the Hyuga boy asked with arms crossed. He looked highly disinterested in the whole encounter and Sakura didn't doubt that was because of Guy's usual charm. Few understood it.

"Neji, remember your manners. Before you ask someone their name you should introduce yourself first, especially to a senior shinobi." Guy pointed to Sakura with both palms, striking a dramatic pose. "Behold my most ferocious kohai."

"I thought you said Shisui Uchiha was your most worth kohai?" the girl asked.

Guy flushed and laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Shisui is indeed my equal in speed, however, his ferocity is not equal to Sakura's."

"I feel so complemented," Sakura dryly commented. She glanced to the kids. "Are they yours?"

Guy's eyes filled with tears that turned into rivers. "Indeed, I am finally a sensei to three wonderful springtimes of youth! Behold my charges, Neji, Tenten, and-"

"ROCK LEE!" The green clan one exclaimed. "The beautiful green beast of genin. I am honored to meet Sensei's comrades."

Sakura raised a single hand. "Sakura. Nice to meet you all too."

Guy looked around her. "Where are the rest of your furry friends. I don't see any of them today."

"They're at the academy keeping an eye on two of my wards." When Guy's eyes started to sparkle Sakura hurried to rush in an explanation. "It's just a mission from the Hokage, don't look like that!"

The tears were already flowing and before she could stop him Guy had gathered her up into a hug that pinned her down tight.

"Your heart has finally opened to the joy of youth! I am so happy to see you grow and heal. I can feel the fire of springtime burning inside of you!"

"I really hope you can't," Sakura coughed. "Let me go."

But Guy was crying while rubbing his cheek against hers. Sakura rolled her eyes and then crossed her arms and broke his hold with just a little chakra. Even though it wasn't anything near what she normally used on enemies, it made Guy's arms fly open wide and send him stumbling.

She didn't miss how the Hyuga boy's eyes widened.

"You're going to make me damp with all your crying, knock it off senpai." Sakura ran a hand through her long bangs. The rest of her hair was tied up into a high ponytail. "Can't you see I'm working here."

"You look really bored though," the lone female genin stated, glancing behind Sakura at the check in booth.

"I'm bored to tears, but it's a job that keeps me inside the village and it's not paperwork. Ugh, I think I'll die if I have to sit behind a desk in the dark for another day. But this is another part of the job."

Neji looked her over critically. "Your rank?"

Sakura tisked, popping her jaw. "This one has some manners, senpai."

Guy came behind Neji and ruffled his glossy long hair, making the boy freak. "Neji, your manners are for everyone, not just other Hyuga. Sakura is a jonin like myself."

"The classes all moved up a couple of months ago, so was that when you all graduated?" Sakura asked, looking the kids over but landing her gaze on the one named Tenten.

She smiled at the attention. "Yes, we were all promoted together and put onto a team. Not everyone in our year graduated though."

"The standards are not what they used to be," Neji added, looking away.

Sakura felt the urge to smack the kid, talking like he knew anything. He was maybe eleven or twelve, so who was he to talk about things not being what they once were? Brat.

"Yeah, I mean you didn't even have to kill anyone to graduate, right?" Sakura asked. Neji looked up sharply and Sakura met his gaze with her own. "Such a shame our standards have slipped so much, eh?"

"That-that was never a requirement. When my father graduated he need to-"

"He needed to fight in a war because wars need fighters, so the standards were real low and people were real desperate."

Sakura knelt down, noticing how Guy hadn't stopped her from saying anything more to his rudest student. Guy was too kind and too soft to be comfortable chastising Neji every day and night.

"Kid, before you open your mouth and let the bitterness in your heart spill out, think about what good that's going to do you after your bitterness stains someone's sandals." Her eyes narrowed into a glare and she let some of her killing intent roll off, but not enough to paralyze. "Some of us fought really hard so that you guys could have the luxury of graduating without trauma. Yeah, the standards are not what they used to be, and thankfully so."

"You were a veteran?" the girl breathed. There was a bead of sweat on the side of her face. "You don't look that old."

The killing intent snapped back and Sakura popped up, hands on her face, covering her lips shaped like an O. It was in complete contrast to how she had looked and acted only seconds before.

"Oh! What a sweet thing to say. I like this one, Guy, she's smart."

Neji made a sound of derision and looked away, crossing his arms again. There was also sweat on the side of his face but he didn't reach up to wipe it away. Lee seemed, oddly, unchanged, like he hadn't felt the killing intent at all.

"They are smart and determined in their own way. I believe they will all excel and grow up into fine springtimes of youth that carry on the will of fire." Guy rested a hand on Neji's shoulder. "All of them."

Sakura hummed low. "You kids are really lucky to get someone like Guy sempai for a sensei. A lot of people don't think that at first-"

"I DO!" Lee hollered.

"-But he's one of the wisest and most compassionate people I know. I don't call just anyone my senpai after all."

Guy cried loudly into his hands, curling up into a ball behind Rock Lee who was also crying into his hands, curled up like a ball. Neji refused to look at her or pretend he was listening, but Tenten nodded along, taking in every word.

"He's going to stay like that forever. No one complements him," Neji mumbled.

Sakura rubbed her face. "Ok, senpai, I can't leave my post but how about I send you off with some... recovery training?"

Guy sprang up, eyes and teeth gleaming like they were especially polished for blinding enemies. "Oh! What a fine idea! What did you have in mind?"

Sakura shrugged, looking at her empty post. "How about I just toss your kids in the air and you try to catch them so they survive the fall?"

"Indeed a youthful exercise!"

Neji huffed. "Throw us? How far could she-?"

Sakura grabbed him by the front of his shirt and rotated once for speed before chucking him straight up into the air. Neji screamed all the way up, his voice growing fainter until he winked in front of the sun. A moment later his screaming started to grow louder and Guy tensed on the ground below. Neji hadn't been tossed as far as he had been tossed high, so Guy didn't have to run very far to intercept Neji's fall.

Rock Lee's eyes were stars. "Yes! Me next!"

Tenten went pale.

Sakura cracked her knuckles.

* * *

 

 


	7. Flames they Licked the Walls

_ THINGS WE LOST TO THE FIRE _ _Chapter 7_

Things we lost to the flame  
Things we'll never see again  
All that we've amassed  
Sits before us, shattered into ash

These are the things, the things we lost  
The things we lost in the fire, fire, fire  
These are the things, the things we lost  
The things we lost in the fire, fire, fire

 **Flames they licked the walls**  
Tenderly they turned to dust all that I adore

* * *

_Years later, living alone in the woods with half a dozen dogs, questionable reading material, and crippling attachment issues, Sakura realizes she turned into her teacher. Agebent Sakura Sensei_

* * *

Chapter Seven

Sakura let herself into the classroom, noticing the quiet that came from snack break. Half the kids were outside or somewhere else and those that remained indoors were not interested in chit chat. She recognized the young Nara boy asleep at his desk, too lazy to get up and go sleep under a tree.

She sauntered over to the teacher desk and grabbed a handful of work papers, flipping through the first few before eyeing Iruka with pity.

"They'll get there," he said with hope.

"Yeah, with a miracle." Sakura flipped around Shikamaru's paper and waved it up. "Lazy brat didn't even try. What's he doing wasting your time?"

"The proverbial horse and water problem."

"I guess that was one upside to the war. We learned the weight of our efforts right away. When we didn't do our best, bad things happened."

"But isn't that a good thing, that we're seeing this? It means peace."

Sakura snorted. "I say that often enough, please don't make me regret it."

"But that is largely the responsibility of the sensei once they graduate. We cover the basics here and then it is up to our betters to finish the work we started with those who have the potential."

"God help whoever gets some of these brats."

Sakura flipped a paper around with almost all incorrect answers and winced at the name. Naruto. Half of his answers were wrong only because he didn't stop to read the directions. She knew he could have answered the questions verbally if she asked them to him and he settled down enough to think it through. But Naruto didn't think.

"You're a saint, Iruka."

She found Sasuke and Sai's graded papers and hummed to herself. Sasuke had a perfect score again and Sai was mostly correct with a few she knew he missed on purpose to keep up appearances. He was well above the others, even Sasuke, but held himself back to watch over Naruto.

"You worried about your kids?"

Sakura looked up, cheeks dark with flush at Iruka's tone. He was grinning at her and his eyes were keen. He was teasing her.

"Do-don't call them that. They're just the brats I'm watching for now. This one tried knfing me in my sleep so don't think there's love lost between us," Sakura huffed. She waved Sai's paper.

"You're training them diligently at home. Naruto's physical test scores have greatly improved."

"I'll work on his written work at home. I thought meditation would be good if he needed to deepen his chakra stores but that brat doesn't need it."

"Meditation could also just help his focus."

"That's what I'm banking on. Otherwise there is no hope for that renegade. He'll just be a powerhouse than needs someone else to steer him. Dangerous implications if the one at the helm is scum."

"It's a hot topic who gets him when he graduates."

"I bet."

When Iruka didn't say anything else Sakura looked up and groaned. "No, don't."

Iruka pointed at her and then the class. "You pretend you hate kids but you're one of the best helpers I have in the classroom and they all look forward to your visits. Naruto adores you already, and he brags about you to the other kids all the time. You said it yourself, he needs someone trustworth who can help mentor him into an independent shinobi. And wherever Naruto goes Sai will go, that's..."

"A order from the top," Sakura groused. "Boy, I wonder why."

Iruka sighed. "He's a kid too, and he's plenty broken on his own. I don't think Naruto is the only one who needs someone to help mentor him. Sai has shown some improvements since he moved in with you, ya know?"

"Really?" Sakura didn't sound like she believed him.

"He was teasing some of the other kids."

"How is that an improvement?" Sakura gasped.

"It's  _Sai_."

Sakura thought of it and begrudgingly admitted to herself that Sai interacting with anyone other than Naruto and then Sasuke was an improvement. He wasn't a normal kid, mostly because Danzo hadn't let him be one.

Sakura didn't know how long Sai had been in Danzo's shadow military group ROOT, but she suspected it was at least a couple of years. He had a specialized justu. Those took time to master with a still developing chakra network. It was one of the reasons why kids were shit at justu. The amount of chakra they needed one week might not be the amount needed the next week because they were still growing. It was also the reason Naruto was shit with everything.

"I'll help Naruto with this at home. We'll hold off on survival training for a bit until he can recite this by memory."

"You staying for the rest of the day?" Iruka asked.

"I can, why?"

Iruka grinned and Sakura hated how it never failed to make her gut do that flip flopping thing that she should have gotten used to by now. She could talk to Iruka normal, so why did his smile have to make her feel like a kid getting praised for the first time?

Honestly, she didn't want to feel the way she felt, but it wasn't something she could just will away or disperse with some logic or pep talk. There was really no reason for her butterflies and she hated herself for it. Why did she have to have a soft spot for idiots and softies? It didn't make any sense.

It was even more bizarre when she remembered how she used to dislike Iruka. He was about her age, maybe a little younger, but he idolized the Hokage who turned a blind eye to personal evils, and was soft when the world was on fire. He had become a teacher when everyone else their age was scrambling to put on a vest and kill enemy nin at their gates. She had worked so hard to be the best she could be and never slowed down while he stepped back and settled into a desk job helping kids.

Sakura had thought him a fool for the longest time.

She didn't anymore.

"I'll stay if you need help with something but don't think I have any spare lessons stored up my sleeve," she said.

"Well, today the sensei were going to demonstrate different taijutsu moves to the kids. I asked for some volunteers from the different clans and almost all of them...canceled at the last minute."

"Duh, what clan wants to share their secrets with the other clan kids?"

"It's not secrets, just taijutsu moves. The kids should be able to see some different styles on display. That's not a lot."

"Isn't that why I'm here?"

Iruka jumped but Sakura was used to it so she turned to glance over her shoulder and scowl. Shisui settled an arm across her shoulder and leaned on her heavily, grin wide and stretching.

"Shisui-" Sakura growled in warning.

"I'm your savior. You wanted a variety of styles, why don't you ask the kid with the eyes that has memorized all the styles. Just to piss the Hyuga off I'll even teach the kids some of that gentle fist shit too."

Sakura slapped him. "Don't cuss around the kids."

Shisui glaned backwards and looked at the classroom that was mostly empty. "They can't hear us here on this stand anyway. It's sealed."

"Get in the habit," Sakura snapped, eyes half lidded.

"So will you both stay to help?" Iruka asked, looking between the two of them.

"Yeah, what do you think senpai, your mighty fist and my gentle fist going toe to toe? It'll be a sight for sure." Shisui leaned into Sakura even more until their cheeks touched.

Sakura jabbed him in the rib and broke his hold on her shoulders. He whined but didn't move away from her.

"Don't act so familiar. I'll beat you to a pulp for real in front of your cousin."

"Can you catch me?"

"We'll see."

The bell rang and the students filed in. Sakura waited against the back wall with one foot propped up and her arms crossed. Shisui stood to her side, but when he tried to inch closer she would shot him a glare and he backed off for the most part.

She saw Naruto and Sasuke come in together along with most of her pack. Sai trailed in after them with Chainsaw trotting on his heels. Sai was the first to notice her but Sasuke was a quick second. Naruto was the loudest to notice her.

Sasuke, bless him, pinched Naruto's ear and dragged the boy up to their seats before he could embarrass them all further.

Iruka passed back papers and when Naruto tried to hide his Sakura caught his eye and shook her head. The boy went white and slumped in his seat. Sasuke snickered something and Naruto cried at him about how a genius 'wouldn't understand.'

In a few minutes the group had moved outside and Iruka was joined by another sensei with jaw length white hair. They explained what they would be doing to the two classes before setting seals down around the largest field.

"Why did they do this? I will explain it to you," Shino explained to Kiba. "This is to contain the damage to a manageable size. Messy jutsu will not extend beyond the boundaries."

"Very well put Shino kun. You already sound like a teacher," Sakura teased. It was hard to tell, but Shino appeared to preen from the compliment.

"I thought it was just sparring. Why they still have to do that?" Kiba huffed.

"That might be my fault," Sakura sighed. "I can get messy with just my fists."

Naruto laughed and it sounded like an expression of pure glee. He had bragged about her too much to not be anticipating the fight.

"What about your cousin?" Ino asked, sliding up to Sasuke. "Isn't he really impressive, too?"

Sasuke edged away from the pretty girl. "Not like my brother. Sakura can take him."

"Sasuke chan, how mean you are!" Shisui fake cried. "You don't even believe in me?"

Sasuke didn't even blink. "No."

"So these are going to be no chakra matches," Iruka called out. "I want you watching and studying their movements. It's pure observation today, a reward for all of you completing your tests."

The first pair out on the field were Iruka and the other teacher named Mizu-something. Over half the kids paid attention, but Sakura suspected that was only because they wanted to see their sensei get hit. They cheered too much when either one landed a hit.

"If there is no chakra that means no enhanced strength," Shisui whispered in her ear.

"And no Shunshin. What you gonna do without your body flicker?"

"You don't think I'm fast without it?"

Sakura grinned. "Not fast enough."

Sakura and Shisui took the field next and the change was immediately obvious in the students. Even the Nara kid was sitting up and watching.

Shisui called out his various styles and the two lightly spared, moves slowed down enough for the kids to see. It was all light taps and easy footwork.

"Now it's time for your personal styles!" Iruka called out.

Sakura packed up and across from her Shisui followed her into a respectful bow. They eased into their favorite stances and one of the dogs barked.

Even without his body flicker Shisui was a terror. It made sense why enemy nin would run from him at just the name drop. It was hard to land a hit and block what she couldn't move out of the way for, but when she did land something it was far more solid than his hits and they often sent him skidding.

It was dangerous for Sakura to get a single hit, because she set him off balance and caught him in a chain of attacks that he couldn't get out of until he was back in the dirt, her thighs around his arms, fist at his throat.

It should have ended there but Shisui flipped her and it turned into a grappling match. The kids were screaming wildly and Sakura couldn't help but laugh at their awkward flailing of limbs. Up until her tackle, they had been dead set on their personal victories, but once they tangled in the dirt it became too awkward to take seriously.

"You were using your damn sharingan?" she laughed.

His face was red under her. "I like watching you."

"You cheated, I win. Victory by default!"

Sakura stood up, getting off of him and raised her fist in the air. The kids went nuts for her and no one was hollering more energetically than Naruto. The kid was practically doing flips as he screamed out her name. Beside him Sasuke was smirking and clapping and even Sai applauded her victory.

Sakura's heart did that little flip thing again.

She turned around to help Shisui up and then poked between his eyes, chastising him about using his stupid red eyes in a zero chakra match. He set a bad example for the others and there were kids watching.

"You were really fast though, Shisui kun!" Ino cheered.

"I think you also did a pretty good job," Shikamaru offered before yawning. "I could stay awake for it after all."

"You're a wet blanket," Ino huffed.

Hinata watched Shisui keenly and nodded to him when he winked at her. She hadn't seemed very upset at how he showed off some of the moves her clan specialized in. Sakura didn't miss the way she blushed prettily.

"The kids just like me better, don't take it personally," Sakura told Shisui when even Sasuke told the older Uchiha he was a lackluster fighter.

"It wasn't the easiest to concentrate with your thighs around my face," Shisui grumbled, still red up to his ears. He glared sideways at her. "Did you know that?"

"You're a bit too open," Sakura laughed. "Sorry, I took advantage of you."

Shisui scratched the back of his head, ruffling already curly hair. "You never have to apologize for something so fun. I'm not complaining if you want to try that again, maybe at my place after-"

Sakura jabbed him in the neck with a fierce look that communicated how pissed she was at his language around kids. He coughed and waved her away, complaining that no one heard him so it was fine.

"I'll crush your windpipe next time."

"Kinky."

"Do you ever stop?"

He laughed and winked at her too, causing Sakura to shake her head and stop away to find Iruka.

Iruka was trying to quiet the kids down and the other sensei stepped in to help so Iruka could talk to the volunteers. There was still another half hour before school was out and they needed to pack up.

Sakura stopped Iruka and chastised him for not noticing the cut under his jaw. He tried to get away, complaining about how it was no big deal, but Sakura insisted. She ran a finger over it, glowing green, and the cut started to knit back together. Shisui watched with eyes so black they should have been red.

"You said you need something to entertain them for the next thirty minutes?" Shisui asked, voice lacking the teasing tilt.

"It's fine. We'll manage something," Iruka said with a casual smile.

"Then how about you spar the loser, since you won in your own spar, Iruka?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Shisui, searching for a reason his smile didn't match his voice. Something was off and didn't fit. He was in such a good mood only moments ago. Right before she- _oh_.

"Shisui," Sakura's voice was a warning.

"What? I think the kids would love to see it. Right, Iruka?"

"I don't mind." Iruka smiled at Shisui and then Sakura, soft and kind and completely oblivious to the steel inside of Shisui. "You'll take care of us if someone gets hurt, right?"

"Don't make me," Sakura grumbled. She glared openly at Shisui but he just smiled at her and held up two empty palms. Innocent as a lamb.

"I promise not to hurt him too much," he purred.

Sakura stalked off to sit with Naruto, Sasuke, and Sai. Chainsaw came to lay in her lap and Mop whined behind her, wanting attention. She reached behind her to scratch his snout.

"You look nervous."

Oddly enough it was Shino who made the comment but Sasuke looked like he wanted to say it too.

"Ah, you know how shinobi are ranked, well Shisui's rank is way above Iruka's. The skills don't match. It's a very odd pairing and I'm hoping your sensei doesn't strain himself or get hurt."

"Shisui isn't that much of an idiot," Sasuke huffed. "He'll know to hold back."

"I know he will," Sakura hummed.

And Shisui did. Iruka didn't receive nearly any injuries, but that was mostly because Shisui made it into a game to mock the disparity of abilities between the two of them. He'd trip Iruka and make a face and then pretend to kick Iruk in the butt. Kiba was howling in laughter and so was Naruto. Everyone was enjoying it more like entertainment.

Iruka wasn't as skilled as Shisui. That was made painfully apparent to all the kids watching thanks to his demonstration. Shisui didn't even pretend to take the spar seriously.

Sakura reached behind her to Mop and whispered into his ear. His tail began to wag before she kissed him and set him loose. Mop bared his teeth and snarled, chasing after Shisui who screamed in protest about her cheating, but the kids loved it too much. They started to cheer for the rest of her dogs to go after Shisui, so Sakura let them.

The bell rang and the kids scattered.

Iruka tottered off the field, rubbing the side of his face and laughing at the teasing from his fellow sensei. Sakura overheard a bit of what the one was saying to Iruka.

"What did you do to piss off the Uchiha?"

She looked up when Shisui's shadow fell over all of them. He was grinning and holding out a hand to Sasuke. "Ready to head home Sasuke chan?"

Sasuke glowered. "Just because Itachi is out of the village you don't have to pick me up in his place. I can walk home on my own."

"Come on," Shisui whined. "I just kicked your sensei's butt, shouldn't that make me cool in your eyes or something? I'm cool."

"You're trying too hard. You've got no class," Sasuke muttered.

Sakura snorted and then rose to her feet. "Can't argue with that logic. Come on boys, looks like it is time to head home."

Naruto began to whine but Sakura pinned him with a look and he squeaked in surprise.

"Naruto, it looks like you have homework for the weekend. Iruka let me see your tests before passing them all back and there wasn't anything on there you wouldn't be able to get if asked verbally."

"I'm sorry, I'll do better next time!"

"Dobe, what did you get?" Before Naruto could protest Sasuke was already fishing the paper out and looking it over. Naruto gasped and reached for it but Sasuke rotated out of the way, completely avoiding Naruto.

"She's right, you know. This is all stuff you should have been able to answer. Come on, this was stuff we were talking about the other day. You know this!"

Naruto flushed red and looked like he wanted to cry. "I forgot, okay! I just wasn't having a good test day. I got nervous and forgot it all."

Sakura sighed and came up behind him, running her fingers through his hair. He dropped his eyes and wouldn't look up, but leaned into her touch. "I believe you," she said. "You should still work hard at these sort of things though so that you become more comfortable when the time comes. But once you graduate there will be very few tests on paper unless that's what you want to go into."

"Why do I even have to learn how to read this sort of seal work if I don't plan on ever using it?"

"Why wouldn't you use it?" she asked.

"Cause it's stupid."

Sakura hummed and fingered the design of a swirl on the back of his shirt. "That's so funny to hear you say that. I think your brain is a bit too hyperactive to make it a speciality, but you are a Uzumaki and that clan used to be world famous for their seal work before their downfall. I know it's something you can do."

Naruto pressed his face into her hip. "Th-the old man said that once too but I didn't believe him because I'm so bad at it. I thought he just said it to make me feel bad because he never says anything else about my old man or my mom or if I even had one."

Sakura met Sai's eyes over Naruto's head.

"Is that something you want to know more about?" Sakura asked. As far as she knew, there was no gag order on her talking about his mother. There was a clause that was BS in her opinion about protecting Naruto from his father's enemies that kept Sakura from telling him who his dad was, but not his mother….

"You pass this test when you retake it, I'll tell you one story about your mother."

Naruto pulled away from her. "Ehhhh! You know a story about my mom? Really, really? What was she like?"

Sakura flicked at his forehead and then ruffled his hair. "Study first, and then I'll try to piece together a story for you. It'll be a good one."

"You promise?" His eyes were as big as the sky and just as blue as he looked to her.

"I promise."

Sai came up behind Naruto. "I'll help you study too. You won't fail a second time."

"That would be pretty pathetic," Sasuke snickered.

"What did you say you bastard?" Naruto hollered.

"Naruto," Sakura chastised, grabbing him by the back of his shirt. "Manners, use them. Come on, let's walk back."

"We can walk with you part of the way, at least until we get to the compound. You know you should stop in for a dinner or something some time. I can cook, it's not just snacks I'm good at." Shisui walked with his hands behind his head, waving to a few kids as they moved out from the school's yard and into the street.

"Mother could cook for us," Sasuke muttered.

"Or that, auntie could cook for all of us but you know that means you have to ask her if that's okay to entertain that evening. You don't have to ask me cause I'm always alone and always willing." He leaned closer to Sakura. "What do you say?"

"I'll think about it."

"So cold."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "So dramatic. It's not a big deal."

Shisui hummed and they walked a little ways more before he said anything else. By then the boys had started to pull ahead and were barely in earshot.

"What if I invited Itachi? Would that make you want to come?"

Sakura sighed. "You're insufferable, you know that?"

Shisui hummed again, watching the kids pull even further away from them, accompanied by Sakura's various dogs.

"What about Iruka sensei? Would you come then?"

Sakura jabbed him in the side, hard enough to make him double over. None of the kids noticed or looked back, but Sakura stopped and glared down at Shisui's crumpled form. He wheezed a breath out and then partially straightened.

"You're being an ass," Sakura warned. "Don't talk like that."

"He doesn't even look like him that much," Shisui muttered, righting himself all the way but still holding onto his wounded side. He wouldn't meet her eyes but averted his gaze downwards.

Sakura felt something hot burn in her chest, like a heated knife. "What do you know about that?" Sakura hissed darkly. She took a step wards him, aura dark enough for killing intent.

"He's not the same guy and he's not worth it anyway," Shisui said and this time he didn't avert his eyes but met her gaze head on. "He doesn't deserve you if he hasn't noticed by now."

Sakura swallowed, hating how her voice was suddenly gone. She felt her throat fill with air like it was getting ready to brace for retching. She hated how hot she felt and how her brain kept going back to Iruka's soft smile and then flicker to Tenzō's goofy grin. Both boys smiling under the sun, chestnut hair blowing in the wind, both boys too soft and too good for her.

"You don't know anything."

"I'm sorry but I think I do, a-a little bit, just a bit. I-I'm not an idiot. I can tell you like him. I see these things happening right in front of me it's impossible to miss. He's as dense as a door jam but Iruka probably has noticed too. Based on past girlfriends you're not his type so why bother holding out hope? You shouldn't 'cause he doesn't deserve it. He's a fool that doesn't know better."

"Stop."

"No. It's not fair! He's not worked nearly as hard or sacrificed as much but he still gets you to look at him like that. But he doesn't even appreciate it. He won the jackpot and he doesn't even want to put in the effort to try and be-"

Shisui's words cut off and he looked away like he had seen something terrible or said something terrible. He started to walk, head bent and fists shoved deep into his pockets.

Sakura took a few steps and then stopped. She exhaled and then covered the remaining distance between them. She grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back so he faced her.

"You. Don't. Know. Anything."

Shisui's eyes were red rimmed and glossy, but not in a way she was used to seeing. "Yeah," he whispered, agreeing with her. "I guess I don't."

* * *

Sakura didn't sleep well that night at all. She woke up gasping and clawing through her bed sheets with only one good arm. When she realized what had happened and where she broke down and sobbed into her pillows so no one could hear her. Waffles climbed up onto the bed and laid down over Sakura, curling around her like old times.

The large black dog whined low and licked away Sakura's tears and Sakura could hear the words in her head about it being okay and everything was alright.

"I'm stupid," Sakura whispered into the wolf's fur. "I'm so stupid."

Waffles nipped at Sakura as if to say 'you're not stupid, stupid.'

"I was stupid enough to act like a fool around Iruka at least. I was stupid to mix them up in my head. I was stupid to think I-that after Tenzō I deserved it. Stupid."

Waffles bit Sakura's ear and then aggressively nuzzle into her.

Nights were the worst, Sakura decided. When the sky was dark and the world grew still it was then that the ghosts in her heart could rise up and finally be heard. All her doubts and fears seemed so much louder at night when she was alone. If she hadn't had Waffles with her it would be that much worse.

"I'm sorry, thank you."

Waffles nuzzled aggressively once more.

Sakura reached up and ran her fingers into the thickness of Waffles' coat. It was warm even though the window was cracked open and the breeze coming in was cool.

"You would think that by now these sort of dreams get easier to live with, so why do they seem to grow worse with age?"

It was hard to, but Sakura wiggled out from underneath Waffles, who whined about it, and made her way into the bathroom. She reached instinctively with her missing hand for the door, but she had taken the prosthetic off so she had to manage with just one arm.

Sakura ran the water and washed her face as best as she could and then she made herself a drink to sip by herself in the kitchen.

"I wonder how often Kakashi sensei had to make himself a nightcap to sleep through the night?" she murmured out loud.

There was no one to see so Sakura perched on the edge of the counter and sipped her drink from an inconspicuous mug. It took forever for her to feel a buzz, but she wasn't drinking to drown herself. She just wanted a little something to make the edges of her dreams not so sharp.

She felt the warmth in her stomach roll like a small ocean even though she was in shorts and a tank top. Her toes should have stung from the cold but she still felt warm.

She wanted to think of sensei.

Sakura poured herself another drink.

She had known Kakashi since she was tiny. Her parents were away for years because she thought they were fighting somewhere, but they were really just dead somewhere, decomposing into bones while she was left alone in an empty home. No one kicked her out because the mortgage was all paid and no one came to collect her because everyone had more important things to do and they all believed her parents were coming back...eventually.

Sakura trained with Rin under Tsunade for a short while. Where Rin went so did Obito and after a beat, also Kakashi. Sakura had been smitten instantly with his summons and pestered him endlessly for their appearance.

One thing led to another and she just sort of made herself the team's side kick.

Then they all died.

Just like that.

Oh. Not Kakashi.

Kakashi came back with a body that still worked.

No. Kakashi died too, just in a different way.

Sakura poured herself another glass and thought of Tenzō. She wanted to think of him now.

Kakashi was recovering in his own way, with unhealthy habits they said. He was assigned a team to help-no, because he was supposed to help. No one was trying to help Kakashi.

"Remember it all right," Sakura said to herself out loud, head lolling on her shoulder. She was stern with herself, shaking her finger in the air like it would help her remember all the details the right way.

Hana had a family and a clan and a home. She was so nice and pretty. Sakura remembered looking up to Hana who was so confident and strong. She wasn't a healer like Rin was, but she was strong in a new way, in a different way. Sakura wanted to be like that too.

Tenzō was…

Sakura poured herself another drink.

Sakura hated Tenzō. So what if he was also an orphan? So what if his past was terrible? He smiled funny and tried to get to know her even though Kakashi actually took him home and gave the kid a room, even though Sakura had known Kakashi sensei so much longer, even though  _she_  also was alone.

Stupid smiling Tenzō who seemed to ready to give his life for his teammates in a way too much like another smiling ninja. When Kakashi looked at Tenzō, did he see Obito too? Is that why Kakashi adopted Tenzō and not her?

_"I like you, Sakura chan. Please go out with me, please."_

She had said no and told him not to bring it up again. He had smiled and said 'okay, thank you for listening to me.' And then he told her to keep the flowers anyway. Stupid. Like he knew she couldn't be mean to the flowers.

Sakura poured another drink. The bottle was empty after that so she left it in the sink.

The edges of her memories were fuzzy and didn't hurt so much anymore.

Tenzō saving her, buying her more gifts and leaving them at her door when she refused to take them. Tenzō asking her out on dates and then finally winning them from her in bets she lost horribly, because of course she had Tsunade's luck wherever she was in the world now.

And like the foundation of a house is built stone by stone by stone, Tenzō built for himself a place inside her heart, stone by stone, by stone until she couldn't help it anymore.

_"Id-idiot, why are you crying? I just agreed to be your girlfriend, you shouldn't be sobbing!"_

_"I-I'm sorry Sakura chan, you just made me really happy!"_

Sakura reached to pour herself another drink but there was nothing left. She stared numbly into the sink where the glass reflected a picture of herself back. She could see the tear stains but couldn't feel them on her face.

She hadn't even gotten to the worst memories, like when she lost her arm and thought he should just leave her because, 'what's the use dating a girl with no left arm?'

She remembered those days too well. She had been horrible to him, throwing whatever she could get her hand on and screaming terrible words at him. She hated how he still looked at her like he loved her because that didn't make any sense. Even if he thought he did love her it would all change later on when he realized how much of an idiot he was. He was an idiot. Idiot! He didn't know he wasn't supposed to love something ugly and broken like her. Idiot!

He hadn't let her wallow, and worked like a dog to make something for her. And he wasn't the only one. Hana gave her a black puppy and even Kakashi promised her the next dog from his litter. The set the furniture back up and took down the mirrors until she was ready for them again. Her house was empty, but she still had a family.

She felt the chakra like a mistake and looked up suddenly.

Sai was in the doorway to the kitchen, watching her. There wasn't a kunai in his hand this time. He had tried to attack her in her sleep once or twice and she had laughed at his efforts because he always gave up when she asked him how he thought Naruto would feel.

He said he didn't trust her, but Sakura knew he wasn't really trying when Danzo fed him assassination missions.

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

Sakura reached up with her only hand and touched the wet places on her face. There were tears on her fingers when she pulled away. It hadn't been a mistake she saw in her reflection.

"I was thinking about my family. I miss them," she answered honestly. "Why are you awake?"

"I haven't been ordered to kill you, if that's what you think."

Sakura smirked. " _This_  time."

Sai didn't ruffle like he had in the past at her words. He just watched her. Then, "Why do you miss them?"

Sakura laughed and then picked up her mug like she was going to toast him. "That's the question, ain't it, kid? Why indeed? I wish I knew. I wish I could tell you why my soul feels these things and why I'm awake drinking booze when I should be in bed resting. None of this is healthy for me and I should know better, but I don't, because I'm here."

"Are you drunk?"

She snorted. "Hardly." Then she grinned. "Wanna try killing me anyway? I think Danzo would appreciate it. He would praise you."

"I don't do what he tells me to because I want to be praised," Sai answered as he walked into the room and sniffed at the bottle in the sink. His nose wrinkled at the smell.

"You're too young and I don't have any left to share," Sakura hummed.

"I wasn't going to ask for any."

" _Suuuuure_."

Sakura let her eyes flutter closed and she thought somewhere inside her head that she shouldn't look so defenseless in front of a kid who probably had passive orders to kill her from Danzo.

"You're drunk," Sai said, sounding like he had just decided the fact for himself. "Tell me something."

"I can still lie, don't think I have to automatically be honest with all your questions." Sakura didn't open her eyes though.

"What do you want to do to Naruto? Why do you want him?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you," Sakura sang. In her head she sounded sultry like a nightclub singer and that made her giggle because she was no nightclub singer. Funny.

"What do you want with him?"

Sakura opened her eyes enough to see. She pushed herself off the counter and stumbled into the living room. It was more because she was tired and less because of the drink, but she knocked a picture over and then curse at it before fumbling to set it upright. She then pulled open a drawer and withdrew an album.

Sakura hummed to herself, sucking on the edge of her lip as she flipped through the book with only one hand. She had to double back once or twice but she found the photo after a while.

On the page there was a photo with her and Kakashi's silly, blond sensei and his wife. There was another photo of Rin and Obito, and another with just Kushina Uzumaki grinning at the camera and popping out her barely pregnant belly. Her husband was making a face in the background.

Sakura felt Sai settle down next to her, felt him holding his breath, felt him hesitate to believe what he was seeing.

"A part of my family."

Sakura pointed to the people and told Sai that they were all celebrating the news that Kushina was pregnant. It was a party for her, even though she wasn't even showing yet.

"She was so tiny for the longest time and then, boom, she just swelled up all over and there was a little mini Naruto growing inside of her and everyone was afraid that her son would have her temper. But Naruto just has all her energy and...yeah...a little of her temper too. You only see it with Sasuke though."

"That's where Naruto came from?"

Sakura yawned beside him. "Yeah. I can't tell him about his dad though, so shhhhh, but that's a gag order. It's a stupid gag order because it doesn't make sense. When Naruto becomes an adult though I can tell him, because the law is just for minors. When Naruto graduates I'll tell him all about his amazing dad."

Sakura pulled one of the photos out. It was one of just Kushina Uzumaki sitting in a seat and smiling up at the camera, looking too cute for someone who was going to die in a year's time.

"I can show him this one."

"She smiles like you."

Sakura snorted and almost laughed. "I don't smile."

Sai looked up from the photo at her. "You don't notice it, and maybe your mouths are shaped different, but you smile like her sometimes, when you don't think anyone is there to notice." He was quiet for a moment and then he added, "I noticed."

"I hope I get to see you smile sometime soon."

Sakura reached out for Sai and pulled him into a hug, he didn't protest even when she nuzzled into him the same way Waffles nuzzled into her. He didn't even protest when she kissed his forehead.

"Go back to bed and get your rest."

Sai pulled away and wiped at the spot where she kissed him with the back of his wrist. He didn't say anything, but considering he didn't try and kill her when he saw the opening for it, that was progress.

Sakura felt lighter going back to bed, and she was almost sure it wasn't because of the booze.

Huh.


	8. Tenderly they turned to dust...

 

_ THINGS WE LOST TO THE FIRE _ _Chapter 8_

Things we lost to the flame  
Things we'll never see again  
All that we've amassed  
Sits before us, shattered into ash

These are the things, the things we lost  
The things we lost in the fire, fire, fire  
These are the things, the things we lost  
The things we lost in the fire, fire, fire

Flames they licked the walls  
 **Tenderly they turned to dust** all that I adore

* * *

_Years later, living alone in the woods with half a dozen dogs, questionable reading material, and crippling attachment issues, Sakura realizes she turned into her teacher. Agebent Sakura Sensei_

* * *

Chapter Eight

* * *

Sasuke glared across the table at Sai who ignored the Uchiha without a hint of effort. Naruto stared between the two of them in frustration, unable to understand what was wrong.

"Are you sure?" Naruto tried asking again.

"Positive," Sai answered breezily without looking up from his homework. "Nothing to share."

"I don't think I believe you," Naruto said while looking at Sasuke.

Sasuke just made a sound with his tongue on his teeth that sounded something like 'tsk' which was odd because Sasuke usually made the 'hn' sound just like his brother when he was annoyed at being bothered. Naruto didn't know what 'tsk' meant. It had taken forever to even learn all the different things 'hn' could mean and he was still unsure most day.

"Have you finished your homework redo?" Sai asked, looking up from his own paper where all the answers were written in perfectly neat handwriting that the teacher never complained about having to decider.

Naruto grumbled and returned the tip of his pencil to the crumpled paper, smoothing it out once more with the side of his fist before finishing a sentence about his personal ninja preference in regards to taijutsu.

He had to cite references from the last demonstration which wasn't hard, since it had been so memorable. He personally liked Sakura's style best because it was just really aggressive and powerful like he wanted to be. He didn't think he could be clever or quick like Sasuke's cousin. Also, Sakura had won. Naruto wanted to be a winner, not a loser.

"What did you say, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, leaning over to look over Sasuke's paper.

The Uchiha pulled up his paper and glared. "Not your business dobe."

"What are you being a brat for? We all know you're going to say you will do Uchiha stuff because you're a stupid Uchiha that does Uchiha things. I want to see how you do the citing." Naruto tried to lean over again but Sasuke kept his paper under his hand.

"Look at Sai's if you need help," Sasuke grumbled.

Upon hearing his name, Sai looked up and smiled at Naruto. "Would you like to see what I wrote, Naruto? I can help you cite your sources if you want, it's not as complex as you might think if you're using the demonstration like I am."

"You're using the demonstration too? What did you say?" Naruto asked with excitement coloring his voice. He scooted over and peered down at the perfectly neat paper before frowning. "Eh? Why did you have to say that? It's mean."

"I believe it is accurate."

"It's not. She won and Shisui lost, so how is that acc-ac- ugh! How is that right?" Naruto blushed at his inability to say the word accurate but glared nonetheless.

"Did you pick Shisui as your example?" Sasuke asked, looking up suddenly.

"Don't say you did too, Sasuke. I can't stand it if I'm the only one who thinks Sakura's fighting style is the best."

Sai cooly returned his eyes to his paper and finished scratching out marks in the answer box. "Her style suits her abilities in terms of chakra enhancement, but in that fight I think what decided her victory was both her extra years of experience and Shisui's distraction. He didn't take her as serious as he could have, especially at the end."

"That doesn't negate the end result. In real fights there are many such factors that can tip the scales in one's favor or the other. It shouldn't be the fault of a fighting style if other aspects are utilized in an encounter," Sasuke spoke up, purposefully using the fulness of his vocabulary to make himself sound older.

"But the assignment does not ask us to take in such elements into our assessments. We are judging their fighting styles, not their performance."

Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed further. "Her fighting style is not sub par to the Uchiha style."

"You really shouldn't be so dismissive of your clan," Sai said. "What of your pride."

"Sakura won that fight fair and square. My assessment is accurate, not biased because of my clan name. Someone like you wouldn't be able to understand what that means."

Something about his words made Sai twitch. "Someone like me?"

"Yeah, someone like  _you_."

Naruto glanced between the two boys, feeling the tension he was normally so oblivious to. For once he felt touched by the static of animosity that sometimes surfaced between the two boys. Sasuke had found a sour spot for Sai, one of few, and he was poking it, much to Naruto's horror.

"He-hey guys, it doesn't have-"

"Shut up dobe," Sasuke snapped.

Naruto bent his head. "Sasuke, what's gotten into you?"

"Does something need to get into me if I have an issue with a little shit being a little shit fright in front of me?"

Sai made a dismissive sound and shook his head slightly. "Language. Sakura san hates to hear us curse."

Sasuke flinched and his ears turned red. A sly smile started to spread across Sai's lips and Sasuke cursed again under his breath. Naruto glanced back and forth, still missing something.

Sai's words came out like slow syrup. "I would know something like this since I  _live_  with her now."

Sasuke snapped and launched himself across the top of the table and caught Sai by the collar and tumbled with an iron grip into the dirt where they began to wrestle between park picnic tables. Naruto scrambled after them, shouting at both of them because Sasuke had already taken two good hits to the face but Sai was the one bleeding from the lips.

"Pariah!" Sasuke hissed with both eyes squeezed shut from the dirt Sai had thrown into his face.

"Pervert!" Sai bit, scratching at the ground to find his footing again. Sasuke wouldn't relent though and turned in blindness to jump on the boy's back and pin him to the ground.

"You-ack!"

"Naruto!" Sai cried, separating from Sasuke and scrambling up to his feet. Naruto had thrown himself in between the pair and gotten a harsh elbow to the nose that made it gush blood. Sasuke managed to crack a single eye open and scowled at what his misaimed elbow had done.

"Dobe, you shouldn't have gotten in the middle of that," Sasuke mumbled, climbing up to his feet after Sai.

The trio stood in a semi circle awkwardly watching Naruto's try to wipe the blood away with the heel of his palms. It almost made the red smear over more of his face. Both boys winced at the sight. It looked worse than it really was, but still, it had to have hurt.

"What is this? Not the sort of behavior I would have expected from my youthful student's precious wards!" a new voice boomed. All three boys turned as one to look up and see the man who's shadow stretched over all of them. He stood on the bench of two different picnic tables with his legs stretched into an almost split.

"Oi, who are you?" Sasuke huffed, scowling at having been caught in such a situation. Sai straightened behind him and pat out some of the dirt from his hair but didn't say anything.

Naruto's words came out semi muffled from pinching his nose, but were still easy enough to understand. "You have bushy brows."

"An excellent observation young one!" the man clad in green cheered with a thumbs up. "My brows are indeed very bushy, thank you for noticing. I always appreciate a compliment in the afternoon."

"I don't think that was a compliment," Sai murmured, but the man only laughed louder.

The green clan adult threw his whole head back into the laugh and then, before the two could even blink, his legs bunched and he was up in the air, winking overhead before reappearing behind them all in a pose so outlandish it was hard to believe. He looked like he was trying to be a crane that played shadow puppets with his hands.

"You may recognize my brilliance now before it dazzle you into maddening curiosity. I am the beautiful beast, Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey, the one and only mighty, mighty Might Guy. Ho-ahh!" The pose changed with both hands above his head and one leg bent to make a perfect right angle. Then he hopped backwards and flashed out of sight.

Sasuke noticed it first, spinning suddenly to find Guy leaning over him from behind. 'So fast!' his brain screamed. He was almost as fast as his cousin Shisui. No, maybe even faster, it was impossible to tell.

"You-who are you here for?" Sasuke demanded.

"The three of you, of course. The youth is the might of tomorrow, how could I ignore such promising young ones especially when my precious young kohai."

"Who is your kohai?" Sai asked.

"Why, the wonderful ninja who took you and Naruto kun in, of course. How could you not recognize the similarities between our amazing styles?" he cried with real shock in his expression.

"Style?" Sasuke echoed in confusion.

"Indeed, I am also a master of the strong fist style of taijutsu she has so masterfully taken up. Alas, I am currently in my kohai's debt and find myself bound by honor to see her repaid." He looked up and smiled wide. The light caught in his teeth and winked like a star as suddenly his posture picked up. "A debt I am eager to repay indeed!"

"What are you talking about, bushy brow sensei?" Naruto murmured.

"I heard talk of the wonders of taijutsu, my favorite sort of jutsu. Indeed I see my skill most looked forward to in this moment. I will repay my debt to your sensei and instill a flame of youth in each of you! Yosh!" His eyes seemed to burn.

"What do you have to do with Iruka sensei? You don't look anything like him and he doesn't even have a style of jutsu, he's just as basic as bread," said Sasuke.

"Not you academy instructor, but your sensei. Sakura Haruno!"

"She is not our sensei," Sai answered first.

"We haven't even graduated," added Naruto.

"Time is only a measure of youth and I have ample youth to spare. See to it that I understand all this, and know that in spite of your age, it is still clear that my precious kohai has bonded her spirit to the three of you. Her will of fire has been stoked by the winds of youth! Ho!"

Sasuke glowered, ducking his head so his bangs cast a dark shadow over his eyes. "I think you are still mistaken. You're nothing like Sakura sensei and she hasn't taken all of us in, only those two." He finished by shoving his fists deep into his pockets and huffing.

"No, a cell is a three man unit and Sakura has leant her fire to each of you, abit in different way, even you young Sasuke kun." He leaned in closer and grinned wider. "I can see it clearly even if you can not."

Sasuke stammered. "You-you don't know what you're saying."

"I know exactly what I am saying. I have known Sakura Haruno for years and have taken her under my wings of youth to instill the style of the strong fist to her own two hands. She has bloomed splendidly with her own flavor to the style as I am sure you all know. I remember when she was your age and tripping over her own sandals to follow her seniors everywhere, haha!"

"I'm sure," Sai answered blandly.

Naruto's eyes were wide. "She tripped over her own sandals. I thought she was a part of the last war when she was just a kid. I heard someone talking about it and she has all those medals from it."

"The two facts are not mutually exclusive, Naruto kun. All of us are clumsy before we are graceful and there is no reason you can not grow to be as elegant as a crane with enough hard work and practice. Sakura had no clan to bolster her on, but she became as mighty as she is now because of her own efforts and the support of those who believed in her. Like her, each of you may indeed grow to smash whole boulders with your smallest finger!"

"Really?" Naruto exclaimed with stars in his eyes. "I can do that too!"

Guy shot him a big thumbs up. "Absolutely!" He then laughed a booming laugh. "Anything is possible if you work hard enough for it. If you understand this now you will only grow."

"What about a bloodline limit?" Guy turned to look at Sasuke who ducked his head and added a mumbled, "Hard work wouldn't be any match for my brother's sharingan."

"But it is," Naruto interjected. "Sakura kicked his butt even though he used it at the end of their fight."

"That doesn't count, he only used it a little and he didn't even use it for anything because the match was basically over, but it's still a fact that having the sharingan makes you automatically more powerful once you activate it. Even if you work hard, there are going to be others who are just better than you because that's how they were born."

"Is that what you believe?" Guy asked.

"It's-it's a fact."

"Indeed, there are those who seem to have developed greater skill because of their heritage, however, this is not a guarantee at success. While the Uchiha have thrived, the Senju are a shadow of their former might. I am not from a clan yet there is no one who can best me in taijutsu. Sakura had not bloodline limit to her name and even lost a limb in battle, but she survived when others who had such advantages succumbed." Guy's tone lost some of its volume and adapted a manner of gravitas. "Be wary of such logic, young Sasuke kun. Many who believe they are superior for their heritage often find that very thinking to be their downfall."

"Is that how Sakura really lost her arm then?"

Guy looked up and frowned at Sai's question. "I dare say it is not. What would make you consider such a belief?"

Sai shrugged. "She said it happened because she messed up. I just wanted to know what she meant by that."

"She told you that!" Sasuke hissed, ears red.

Naruto hummed, looking away. "I don't remember hearing that, but maybe it was when I wasn't paying attention..."

"If she told you she lost her arm because she messed up then 'messing up' has changed its meaning since I last learned it. Sakura sacrificed her arm to complete a very dangerous seal that almost cost the rest of her team their life. True, she had meant to clear the detonation site to avoid losing her arm, but when it came down to it, when faced with the choice of assuring her team's survival by staying an extra second and leaving early, she did as she always has done."

"So she wasn't fast enough to save herself and her teammates," Sai said.

Guy's demeanor darkened slightly. "Is that how you see it? If it had been you, what would you have done?"

"I would have been fast enough."

"But what if you weren't?"

"I would be, otherwise why else would I be on such a mission?"

"You believe all missions are exactly as they appear?"

He shrugged, looking away. "I believe I'll be capable of doing what needs to be done. I won't mess up."

Guy hummed to himself, studying Sai more thoughtfully. "I can see the fingerprints of his handiwork on you, like she feared. I'm sorry you've been tangled up in the mess that is our great village's most fearsome shame. The roots are dark and deep, are they not?"

Sai's expression didn't change. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"I'm sure you do." Guy clapped his hands once and it was deafening. In the time it took the three boys to cover their ears Guy's eager smile was back on his face. "But now it is time for my debt to be repaid. Homework can wait because when I am through with you, each of you will be writing the same thing: The Strong Fist Style is the best style there is and there is no equal to it's might! Hoah, straighten up, I am going to show you the basics!"

Each boy exchanged a look but then fell into line and waited to see if it would be worth it.

None of them were expecting what they got.

When Sakura found them, at the end of her duty shift, all three boys were drenched in sweat and grim and close to passed out on the ground, crawling for the shade. Guy stood amongst them with the brightest grin on his face.

"Do I want to ask?" Sakura groaned.

"I'm so glad to see you again, kohai. Look at how hard your youthful students have worked to better themselves. Their will of fire may be matched only by yours!"

"That's not much of a compliment these days," Sakura murmured while watching her pack go to each of the three boys and drag them more fully into the shade. Mop whined and licked at Naruto's face while Chainsaw scratched at Sai's ankles to wake him up. Souta stood over Sasuke, guarding him faithfully.

"Of course it is! Do not doubt your spirit or bear the burden of too much humility. All three are fine young students who will make you proud to call yourself sensei."

"You know they're not really my students, right?"

"Not yet, but could you see them going to any other teacher after graduation?" Guy grinned slyly. "Everyone is talking about it. You know what Genma called you the other day?"

"Another terrible nickname, no doubt. What?"

"The murderous mother bear. He saw how you thrashed poor those teenagers who were picking on Naruto after school."

Sakura groaned and rolled her eyes. "Great. Was he the only one?"

"He was the only one who saw, but he told everyone else."

"Well he tells tall tales enough for most people to take it with a grain of salt so I guess that's fine. Why did you feel the need to thrash the kids again?"

"To repay you for your efforts in helping my own team develop those survival instincts. Rock Lee especially appreciated the workout after you did your part to introduce them to the sensation of a sudden free fall. He and Tenten said they would buy treats for your pack in thanks, but I needed to show my appreciation in my own way."

"You didn't need to. It wasn't that big a deal." Sakura felt her ears burn. "I didn't do it to earn a favor, after all."

"I know. You have so much goodness in your heart that you do many things simply for the sake of making our great village even more great. I am overwhelmed with relief to see you growing back into yourself after a long recovery period." His heavy hand fell on her shoulder. "You do their memory a great deal of good. Don't ever let that will of fire dwindle again."

"You don't need to say that to me. What made you think my stupid will of fire dwindled, eh? I was just taking a break to rest like you said." Sakura scratched at her cheek and grumbled to herself.

Duke barked beside her. "We should probably take these kids back before they suffer further heatstroke. The Uchiha doesn't look too good and Naruto isn't used to such strain in spite of his energy levels."

"He'll sleep well tonight," Sakura sighed.

She stepped away and Guy's hand fell from her shoulder. She crouched down to pick up Sasuke and pour some healing chakra into his head where the heat made his whole face flush before doing the same with Sai and Naruto. Then she went back and lifted Sasuke onto her shoulder and heaved Naruto under one arm. In spite of his size, Mop managed to keep Sai on his back as they turned to leave.

"Thank you for taking care of these little ones today, senpai. I'll treat you to some good bar b que next time. Maybe we can bring all our tag alongs and make it a team event."

"I thought you said they weren't your students." Guy's smile was teasing.

"I didn't say when I would treat you. I hope you don't mind waiting until these munchkins graduate the academy."

"That's the sort of youthful reply I would expect from my greatest rival's star! Yosh, I will hold you to it, my youthful kohai!"

Sakura grinned to herself, more pleased with the fact that it didn't hurt to hear Guy refer to her as Kakashi's star anymore. References to her long past sensei used to pinch her with a vengeance, but now...for some reason...they didn't.

Halfway to the Uchiha compound she felt Sasuke stir on her shoulder.

"Where are we?" he mumbled, still sounding as bleary as he looked. She felt him yawn more than heard it.

"You're almost home. We'll be there soon."

Sasuke shifted on her shoulder and yawned again. "Sakura...sensei?"

"We're not in class and I'm not helping Iruka out right now, you don't need to call me sensei," she chuckled.

"Are you going to be our sensei when we graduate? Is that what that weird guy meant when he said we were as good as your students. Ugh, he's a monster! How do you know someone like him?"

"I thought I was brutal with my survival training. He's an old mentor of mine who I look up to. He taught me a lot and I'm glad you're alright, by the way. It's not unheard of for Guy to leave kids in less...shall we say, functional conditions."

"But..." Sasuke hesitated and then added, "what he said about you being our sensei wasn't wrong, was it?"

"No one knows for sure, but I might be. I've been told I'll have to take students on soon so it makes sense for it to be you three, right?"

Sasuke was quiet for a moment before replying. "It makes sense for those two, but they might not let the third person be me. I'm an Uchiha after all."

"You think I can't take care of you because you're an Uchiha?" Sakura snorted. "As if. I've looked after plenty of your clansmen before and your dad was one of my mentors back in the day. Yeah I get how clan heads want their heirs to be trained by others in the clan, but I'm practically extended family by this point."

Who else knew so much about their dirty laundry and washed it too? Sakura's unique relationship with the curse of hatred had earned her more than just a steady stream of medical work. She was one of the few outsiders trusted within the compound.

"...I'm not an heir, Itachi is."

"Same difference."

Sasuke squirmed on her shoulder, trying to turn around and failing. "No it isn't! He's the heir, not me. He's the important one. I'm the backup in case something happens to him so it doesn't matter that much if I'm home or not. No one cares."

"I know your mom enough to know she cares, and your dad is busy and worried a lot but he cares too. You are loved by your parents, Sasuke. Don't doubt that."

"St-still, I'm not the heir so it's not important if I'm home all the time or not."

Sakura hummed, spotting the Uchiha district in the distance. She had a feeling she knew what Sasuke was trying to say without saying. It was normal for kids his age to get jealous of things their friends had, like a house full of dogs.

"You know," Sakura began with a conspiratorial tone, "I promised Naruto a treat if he got a good grade on this homework assignment. If he does well he can have a sleepover. Would you be willing to come over if Naruto does well?"

Sasuke was quiet for a while before finally speaking up. "Y-yeah. Yes please."

She felt his hand on her back, grab the fabric as he hid his face in her shoulder. It made her grin to herself and Dango didn't miss it.

"You look good as a sensei," he commented with a wag to his tail.

"Shut up," Sakura laughed, somehow too giddy to be angry. She liked the sound of Sakura sensei, after all.

* * *

They were invited to Sasuke's house for a family dinner when Itachi came back home. Mikoto was adamant when Sakura dropped Sasuke off that the Uchiha repay her for her kindess to their son. Shisui invited himself as a plus one to the evening meal.

The kids played while Shisui and Itachi supervise. Fugaku asked Sakura for her help in the back where one of their clansmen is 'sick.' She removed his curse of hatred just in time for diner.

"How have things been?" Sakura asked in the hallway, just outside of the dining room. She was watching to make sure the kids were all out of earshot.

"Not terrible, not great. Barely any difference." Fugaku huffed in irritation. "More budget cuts were approved, forcing more and more of the police force to take out of village jobs. We've lost several young members that way. There is a skeleton crew now because the Hokage wants more Jonin and chunin to run security inside the village."

"That's what he is having me do," Sakura hummed in agreement.

"I think he wants to do away with the police force and unify all village security under his direct control."

Sakura felt her lip curl. "That's a lot for just one man, one seat of power to control. The whole point of diversifying these components in the village is so that the Hokage doesn't rival the daimyo."

"The Daimyo  _loves_  us though, there's not much threat there," He sarcastically quipped. "It's why Danzo is pushing for more centralized power."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's exactly why he's not growing a paramilitary group in the shadows. He's tried to kill me a couple times, you know, since I took in the boys. I've sent  _several_  of his men back missing limbs. I hope he's got the message."

Fugaku's eyes flashed red. "I'm not comfortable with you living so far away on your own with just those two boys. If something were to happen to you-do you think he knows about your treatments here?"

What would the Uchiha be if they had been left to rot inside their curse of hatred? Sakura knew it was a resilient thing, hungry to taint and spread. Those with it worse were short with their friends and family and saw reality through a broken filter. They thought the worst of everyone and seemed to devolve to their most base thinking.

Without her treatments the Uchiha people, including the entirety of the council of elders, would be of the same antagonistic, egotistical worldview that drove Madara Uchiha to his own blend of madness. And everyone knew how that went for Madara.

Sakura felt her stomach turn. "I hope not, but if he did I think he would be a bit more aggressive than the occasional assassin in the night. My pack is enough of a support to keep me protected. I'm mostly safe up there."

"Still…." He glanced past her into the dining room and the returned his gaze. "It would be improper for an unmarried woman and man to share the same roof, but if Itachi or even Shisui were to go under the guise of chaperoning a sleep over function with Sasuke, I would feel better."

Sakura chuckled. "If the kids want to have a sleepover that's fine, but don't think I don't recognize Mikoto's scheming. Both boys are too young."

"You could take up a home inside the compound. It would be safer."

"Now I  _know_  you've been plotting things with your wife."

"Consider it, that's all I ask."

Sakura shot him a look but he ignored her and brushed past, stoic as ever for an Uchiha. He met his wife in the kitchen and helped her bring their food to the table. Sakura watched him kiss her ear and thank her for the meal. She blushed and kissed him back and he warmed.

What would the Uchiha be without her there to clear out their curse of hatred? She didn't want to ever have to find out.

"Honey, call the boys in, the food is ready." Mikoto then looked to where Sakura was standing and reached for her. "Come here dear and take a seat."

"You didn't have to send the head of the household out for such a simple task. You know those boys can be a handful to wrangle. It'll take him a few minutes to get them to listen to him." Sakura had heard them sparring and knew it would have only escalated since then.

Mikoto smiled as she settled into her seat beside Sakura at the head's right side. "Don't doubt my husband. He may be the head of this household, but I'm the neck, and he's really just buying me some alone time with you."

Sakura groaned, recognizing her smirk. Mikoto was a sweet mother, but she was still a crafty Uchiha. "Oh no, what is it now?"

"Something is different between you and my nephew. What happened? Itachi is even aware of it."

"Retirement hasn't doesn't you any favors. You're desperate for the most pathetic morsels of news. There's nothing to tell. I told him off once for flirting too much. There's nothing more to it than that."

"He looks really crushed."

Sakura poured for herself a cup of warm water to drink before the meal without meeting Mikoto's gaze. "He'll get over it."

Mikoto hummed, leaning her elbow on the table and settling her chin in her palm. "Maybe, but it's hard to watch him like this. I won't claim he didn't deserve it, I don't know enough to offer such an opinion, but I wish you'd consider something."

Sakura swirled the warm water in her cup, watching it shift and splash against the sides."You'd like to tie me to your clan because I've seen your dirty laundry and cleaned it one too many times. It'd be good for the public image if you had someone marry an outsider. You want someone strong to breed good children. There are any number of reasons for you to be here right now saying these things."

"True, all good points. But consider this, you haven't judged us for what others would have crucified us for. You've had compassion on us when we were at our worst towards you. You've seen the horrors of war and understand things those boys don't even get. You're kind, you're lovely, and you are one of the few people we trust explicitly."

Sakura stared into her cup, watching the water settle. "I'd make a terrible wife, and I don't think I can have children the way I am. You should bark up a different tree."

"You're a pretty decent mentor to those boys. They seem to adore you."

"The one has tried to kill me like four times!"

"That's better than nine."

Sakura just made a face that caused the older woman to laugh.

"It's pretty impossible to win over a ROOT operative and yet here you are, doing it." Mikoto settled her hands in her lap and smiled to herself, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry for being the nagging mother, but believe me when I say I worry for more than just the sake of our boys. I also worry about you, closing your heart off. If you don't want that sort of life that's fine, but don't think you're not worth it. It's up to you and what you want."

"Will you drop it if I tell you I don't want that sort of life?"

She smirked. "You haven't. Out of all the times you've complained you haven't said that once."

"Well at least quit pestering me about the minors. It makes me feel like a cradle robber when you even mention it."

"Yes, but you see, Itachi isn't a minor in the eyes of the village. He's sixteen, he's practically marrying age."

Sakura shot the Uchiha woman a look and Mikoto chuckled. "Alright, alright, I'll wait until Itachi is a little older before helping him out any more than this. He'll be cross with me but that's normal."

"Don't give him false hope."

"We are Uchiha, my dear, we don't bank on false hope."

"Scheming woman."

They both looked up when they heard the commotion outside. Fugaku came in first followed by a bruised looking Naruto and Sasuke. Sai trailed in after them. The last two to come in came in together, talking to one another in hushed voices that cut off as soon as they stepped over the threshold.

"Time for dinner, take your seats," Fugaku instructed. He pulled out the head seat for himself and eyed Sasuke in a meaningful way.

Itachi sat across from Mikoto at his father's other side, and Shisui sat next to Itachi, across from Sakura. Then sat Sasuke, across the way from Naruto and Sai. Shisui wouldn't meet her eyes, but he had kept his head down and eyes averted the whole time.

Mikoto was a pro when it came to coaxing meaningful conversation out of her guests without making it feel forced or akward. In no time at all they were all having a good time and going through most of the meal.

Sakura made sure Naruto took his vegetables and flicked his nose when he complained about the taste.

"You got a lot of guts to say that about someone else's cooking. You're a guest here so be a bit more respectful and eat what's good for you, brat."

Sasuke snickered from across the table but his mother cut him a look that had him cowering before Naruto could catch it. Sai simply shook his head and sighed, already used to the whole scene.

The meal was mostly finished when chakra spiked outside, followed by a knock at the door. Itachi stood to get it, insisting the rest of the family stay seated while he went to see who it was. Fugaku and Mikoto shared a look between them.

"It's for you Shisui," Itachi said as he entered the room. "You've been summoned to the Hokage's manor."

"Eh, not the tower? What for?" Shisui glanced outside. "It's late."

"You can ask when you get there," Itachi said as he retook his seat at the table.

Shisui grumbled but excused himself from the table, thanking Itachi's parents for the meal before turning and leaving. He waited until he was outside before flashing his chakra in a way Sakura recognized, making his body into a flicker that sped away.

"Is something still bothering you?" Mikoto asked, taking note of a frown on her son's face when Itachi continued to stare at his food instead of eat it.

"I am trying to remember something." Itachi shook his head and reached for his chopsticks again. "I just can't recall any other shinobi employed in ANBU that would be missing an arm. Usually such a disability would make-Sakura?"

"Idiot," his father muttered darkly at his son. "Your words-"

"What did you say?" Sakura asked, interrupting the clan head as she leaned over the table. "The arm he was missing, which one was it, which side?"

Behind them, Itachi's parents exchanged puzzled looks. Sakura didn't seem upset about her disability being mentioned in such a way. If anything, she seemed anxious.

"His left side, I believe. Is there something wrong with that?" he asked, looking to her left arm that was completely clothed from glove tip to sleeve.

But Sakura was already up and racing out of the house, yelling at Souta and Chainsaw to track Shisui down. She knew the direction Shisui had been heading in, but she doubted he would have actually made it there.

Aside from her, how many other people with ANBU level status were missing their left arm? The only ones she could think of were the ROOT operatives she mutilated for trying to assassinate her.

She prayed she was wrong.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: One more to go.
> 
> Please don't be angry with me.


	9. All that I adore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for some of the mix ups with chapter uploads. Some body horror and graphic violence in this chapter.

_ THINGS WE LOST TO THE FIRE _

Things we lost to the flame  
Things we'll never see again  
All that we've amassed  
Sits before us, shattered into ash

These are the things, the things we lost  
The things we lost in the fire, fire, fire  
These are the things, the things we lost  
The things we lost in the fire, fire, fire

Flames they licked the walls  
Tenderly they turned to dust **  
** **All that I adore**

* * *

_"Tell Danzo he's going to lose more men than it's worth if he wants to take this kid back," she hissed into the ear of the ROOT agent who lay pinned beneath Waffle's giant paw._

_Sakura had ripped his left arm from its socket but left the agent alive as a warning. The only reason she left him alive at all was because she needed her message to get to that old man's ears._

Souta ran ahead of her, but Chainsaw was on her heels, feeding them both updates on where to turn because it was as she feared-Shisui wasn't on the path to the mansion anymore.

Sakura cursed low under her breath with her blood boiling in her veins. She could feel it make her fingers itch and her teeth tingle. She wanted something to rip apart.

What was Danzo doing now? What did he want with Shisui? If he wanted an Uchiha there were far easier targets who didn't have the advantage of a fully developed sharingan.

Unless that was what he needed.

If he wanted to send a message to the Uchiha he would have done well in targeting Itachi who was a personal guard to the hokage, or Shisui who could make whole enemy units turn tail and flee at the drop of his name.

A dark sarcastic part of her brain quipped that maybe all Danzo wanted was to talk with Shisui about something. Maybe she had overreacted.

And maybe it'll snow in July.

As one unit, she and her pack flickered with chakra into the dense trees. Dusk was over and the shadows were all out. So far away from the neon signs it was as dark as it was ever going to get.

A knife came down into her neck and Sakura burst into a log. A second later her leg was extended down onto the shoulder of her attacker.

"We smelled you coming," Sakura snarled before pinning the nin in place with a kuni through his arm.

He screamed but Sakura ribbed his mask off and wedged her fist into his mouth, grabbing onto his tongue. She pulled it out and saw the same seal Sai hid on his. ROOT.

"You have both your arms, need to fix that. Danzo didn't learn the last time."

Sakura reached for his injured shoulder and pulled. She felt it tear off the same time she heard paper rip. The explosion bombs woven into the fabric of his shirt sleeve, (right where they knew she would tear him apart) detonated before she could move to avoid it.

The encounter was over in less than a minute but Sakura had no idea how much time had passed since the detonation.

She felt her Yin seal pop and leak as a massive amount of chakra spread across her face to knit it back together subconsciously, the way she had trained it to, programed it in the event of suffering a fatal injury.

She hadn't expected to utilize it in her own village so close to the general store she bought her dog food from.

The creation rebirth was painful as cells split at a rapid pace to replace the destroyed tissue and muscle. Her eyes had been shut in time to miss the explosion, but they still needed to come back from near total burnout.

Dango was on her chest, feeding his own chakra into her, aiding in the restoration. His whining was high pitched and panicked.

"I'm alive," she gasped. She meant it to be reassuring but it came out sounding strangled.

On the brnt earth she remembered a story of a girl and a monster in a forest, and how the girl was almost always clever and lucky enough to make it through the creature's domain and back home again.

'How clever, how lucky I am!' she would say.

But the monster only needed to be lucky once. For as clever and skilled she was, the monster only needed to be better than her once. Once was all it took.

"Asshole. I wasn't fast enough."

Dango whined, pawing at a long cut that was still stitching itself back together near her neck. "He predicted your choice to rip that man's arm off. He knew." He barked and then edged closer so she could reach his collar. "Take a cell regeneration pill."

Sakura reached for one of the light blue pills. She was fine on chakra, but because of the rapid cell division, she needed the medicine she had developed using the Mizu jellyfish's adaptations to reverse the age of her oldest cells and return them to their youngest form. It only seemed to work after rapid cell loss so it wasn't exactly the elixir of immortality she had hoped to create, but it was good enough for helping cancel out the negative side effects of her most famous life saving technique.

"The kid blew himself up on purpose. There's no corpse to bring back is there?"

Sakura blinked and started to see shapes as more of her eyes regrew. It was a lengthy process that she cursed. Battles wouldn't wait for her. Where was Shisui? She would be incapacitated for another four minutes. That encounter had lasted less than twenty seconds. Where was Shisui?

"Souta!" The dog barked in reply. "Take Mop and follow Chainsaw to where Shisui is. Waffles will be there soon. Dango, help me here so I can provide them with backup."

The dogs moved as a single cell, dashing to their jobs without delay. Her pack.

Sakura grit her teeth, feeling their edges as the most painful part of the healing came up: regrowing the lost nerves.

She screamed and then snarled and almost thrashed as pain made her blind. It was a medical miracle how she was able to even recover so much on her own when she was in such a state, but all she could comprehend at that moment was PAIN.

Dango whined low and it turned into a howl that helped to guide her back.

"I'm going to kill him," Sakura snarled as she grasped what she could of her sanity. The anger helped her focus on something other than the pain of being burned alive-only backwards.

She heard her name being called and she reached for Dango who was trying to get as close to her as possible without hurting her further. She smelled terrible, like burn hair and blood and gore, but he didn't seem to care.

"We'll get him."

"I'm going to kill him, Tenzo!"

She couldn't feel it like she used to, but she stood on numb legs. She felt like she was made of clouds as she staggered once and then inhaled. She smelled so bad but she knew there were other things out there for her to track.

"This way," Dango barked before taking off in the direction of the rest of the pack.

There was no one else in the forest and she cursed the laziness of her friends. Hadn't they seen the explosion that blinded her-that killed her!? Or had Danzo prepared for such a possibility? Likely.

"Lead the way!" Sakura snarled, unable to speak in any other manner.

She tore into the earth, feeling it under her toes. Her sandals were gone, like most of the front of her flack vest. It flapped like broken wings behind her as she ran.

When another assassin came at her to take her out before reaching Danzo she didn't give him the opportunity to detonate. Her fist was full of chakra and he was leagues away from her with a hole through his chest before he knew he had died.

She had been careless once and she wasn't about to repeat the same costly mistake. She had learned her lesson and the blood was still thick across her face. She didn't want to know what she looked like with parts of her hair sheared off and others grimy with blood.

She was careful and the third person she killed was a girl with soft red hair, dyed black in places. She didn't scream but died like the one before her, with a hole right through her. Sakura didn't think about how she was killing leaf shinobi because she couldn't. She was too busy trying to survive and she wasn't strong enough to pull her punches anymore.

Sakura found herself digging into an incline and recognize the path they were taking. She pressed herself as much as she dared, knowing the way by heart and stumbling upon the dueling figures within a stone's throw from home.

Her heel came down between them and both Danzo and Shisui were fast enough to avoid it, she noticed in a strange delayed sort of way that Shisui was injured and one half of his face was bloody-though not like hers.

He called out to her but Sakura ignored him completely, turning and launching herself at Danzo before she could think about it.

For an old man he moved exceptionally well, and it would have been too much if her pack was unable to keep his subordinates away from him. She heard Dango go straight for Shisui and heard alarm in his bark, but didn't hesitate.

"I'm ordering you to stand down, Haruno," Danzo growled.

"He's lying, I didn't attack anyone!"

Sakura snarled something inhuman and felt her palm open to swipe at him with claws instead of chakra fused fists. It didn't connect but she realized her mistake before she could counter with a new attack. Her rage made her careless. She wouldn't allow it to keep her from her revenge.

She was almost on top of him, close enough to shatter his chest, but another shinobi in an ANBU mask came in and knocked her hand down into the earth. Sakura rolled into him and backhanded him across the field. He hit a tree and his mask fell away.

She saw his face and didn't believe it, turning instead to rage into where Danzo was struggling up to his feet. Someone called out a name but she didn't know who or what was said. Everything was a mess around her as she zeroed in on Danzo. Nothing else mattered.

A cloth was striped between her and him-a distraction?!

Sakura ducked around it and rounded with her heel raised. Over her knee she saw something red and then he reached for her with a dozen red-red-red-red eyes.

"It's not a perfect because I'm not an Uchiha, but I am still able to perform the Tsukuyomi."

Sakura looked up and saw a sick yellow sky that started to bleed to red, like it was being stained by blood. She glanced down and saw her hands shackled in chains and connected to the ground. The world around her was black and smoky, like the rocks and divits in the earth had a hard time holding their own shape.

"What?" Sakura still felt her rage but a new fear forced its way into her mouth.

"This is your nightmare, or more technically, this is the Tsukuyomi of an Uchiha who died several years ago. I'm not able to hold it for longer than a day, whereas the original user could have made it a good three days, but I think that's frankly impressive considering the circumstances."

Danzo stood in front of her with his shirt ripped away and his robe torn down to the waist. His right arm was covered in spinning red eyes, each looking in a new direction, one was bleeding as it stayed fixed on her.

"You monster." Sakura felt herself pinch in terror. "What have you done?"

"I've defended myself against dissidents. I was attacked on your lands after being summoned there." He tilted his head to the side and almost smiled. "Don't you remember?"

A forged paper fell between them.

"No one would believe that scrap. I would never-"

"I didn't believe it either, which is why I took my personal guard with me. Your esteemed Hokage insisted I wouldn't need them though. Imagine my surprise when half of them ended up dead."

Sakura felt her rage mount. "Shisui?"

"A distraction. I knew you would come if the pieces were all in play. You're more predictable than you think." He inclined his head in her direction. "The arms? How tacky."

"The Uchiha would vouch for me. I was at their home having dinner with them. They-"

"Would get swallowed up in this assassination plot just as well as you. I'll thank you now before we get down to business. It's been such a bother dealing with them, but after this I think we can continue with our best laid plans."

Sakura felt almost too angry to speak, but the words came out of her mouth like she couldn't help them. "Tenzo. The shinobi I backhanded, he looked just like-he looked like him."

"His name is Yamato and he is an upstanding shinobi. You nearly killed him. Maybe you did. Maybe he's bleeding out right now. But yes the similarities between twin brothers is quite striking." He smirked at her. "I don't think there are any flames of romance to burn between you two now that you've nearly killed him. Sorry to ruin that for you."

Sakura felt like there was salt in all her wounds, like she was burning from them all over. She had played into his hands, incriminated the Uchiha, let down Naruto and Sai who she was supposed to protect above all else, and attacked Tenzo's brother….a boy raised in darkness after Orochimaru's experiments. Hadn't Danzo financed the snake bastard through all of that? Danzo had been the one to grab the children, she suspected. It made sense.

"You can't do this. No one will believe you."

"All the ones still left alive will swear up and down. They've been brainwashed with Yamanaka mind techniques. No one will believe Shisui if he lives, not with those cursed eyes of his."

Sakura felt the tears. "You're a monster. You're the rot of this village. Because of you-"

"We have survived this long! Foolish girl. How do you think we have grown to be such a superpower in the world with as many enemies? Because we are strong. Because we are ruthless. Because I do not allow us to fall. Even your precious Hokage knows this. Why else would he forgive so much."

A sick thought rolled in her gut. "Does he know about this?"

"About me incriminating you?" Danzo scoffed. "He would have dissuaded me. His intention was for you to mentor the Fourth's brat."

" _Naruto_."

"Excuse me?"

Sakura looked up and snarled. "His name is  _Naruto_."

"Inconsequential."

He loomed larger than possible and Sakura felt a pull as her chains clattered upwards. She was raised up into the air and then pulled onto a cross. Nails stabbed through her feet in place of chains. She felt the spikes in her palms too-even though one arm should have been fake. In the dream world she could feel that much.

Shuriken tore through her one after the other. They passed right through her-in one way, out the other- taking strings of meat and blood with them during each passing. She screamed as they kept coming. She was emptied and then healed and then emptied again, for hours.

Then there were swords. Danzo stabbed at her again and again. Sometimes he took his time serving out pieces of her and other times he was as fast as sight.

Sakura lost track of time, but she felt like it went on forever. He said it would only be a day, and she knew she could do torture if there was an end to it. She could do it. He wouldn't have her forever.

And then it wasn't Danzo, but it was Kakashi, Hana, Tsunade, and finally Tenzo stabbing her through. And it should have been the worst thing ever, but for as horrible as he was, Danzo was unable to sway her heart and make her believe that the people she loved were really the ones hurting her. Because Tenzo didn't smile like that, and Hana always smelled like dog, and she had seen Kakashi under his mask, and Tsunade would never be so composed.

"You're shit at this, Danzo. I'm going to kill you once all of this is done."

"You won't be able to stand after all this is done."

Sakura snorted and clawed for the last bit of her sanity to muster up one last quip. "That's what the last guy said, but he wasn't anything to write home about."

She lost her arm, and then her leg. The stumps grew infested with worms that ate up the rest of her, only to start over again. Then Yamato or Tenzo was there, watching her at her ugliest.

In the end her cross crumbled and she fell forever.

She came out of the illusion screaming and her eyes weren't working. She could feel the blood on her face but couldn't tell if it was from the regeneration earlier or because something had happened to her eyes. She was blind.

"Take her. I'll take the Uchiha." That was Danzo.

"SAKURA!" That was Shisui.

She heard a whimper and then a snarl, followed by howls of pain. There was something loud and then wind was all around her. She couldn't focus on any of it. She felt the proximity and lashes out with an open hand but someone grabbed her by her throat and shoved her into the dirt.

For all her justu and genius there was nothing she could do.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!"

The weight was gone and she blinked hard enough that something started to come into focus. Sakura couldn't see color, it was too dark for it, but she knew that voice.

"It's the Kyūbi brat!"

" _Sai_ , do your job. Restrain him."

Sakura blinked and saw a ruffled looking Naruto standing in front of her. Shisui was across the way, too much blood on half his face and one eye was bloated and closed. Sai was next to Naruto with his back to her, but Sakura could see how he trembled.

"Sai!" Danzo yelled. The boy flinched but didn't move.

"You can't tell my friend what to do and you can't hurt her anymore!" Naruto screamed. "I"m going to be Hokage one day and I'll always stop people like you. That's a promise and I never break a promise, that's my ninja way!"

Danzo sneered and then composed himself. He didn't shout but gestured to Yamato who was shaking his head and standing. "Deal with the Kyūbi before this becomes a mess. We can rehabilitate Sai at a later date."

"I told you that ya can't! He's my friend and I won't let you hurt him!"

Yamato began to move and Naruto made a seal with his hands but it failed because there was too much chakra and he couldn't make it work. He tried again as Yamato drew closer. Again it failed.

Sai stepped in front of Naruto but Yamato bat him away like he was something brittle and Sai fell onto his side, even more white than usual and sweating all over. His whole body looked like it was in pain.

"We can figure out what story to spin with the Kyūbi back at base."

Yamato reached for Naruto.

Blood jumped from the wound she made on his hand and his body followed the momentum into the mud. Sakura then kicked Yamato hard in the gut, enough to knock him out, but not enough to kill. Her face was a mess of blood but she could see better than before.

"His name is Naruto and you can't have him," Sakura seethed under her breath.

Danzo sighed, turning away from Shisui and raised a hand.

"Now!" Sakura screamed.

She ducked just in time for a black blur to pass overhead and tackle the elder to the ground. Waffles held him in her jaws just as Mop and Souta trotted into the clearing. Each dog had a number of wounds, but that didn't keep them from growling low and looking vicious with their teeth bared.

"Kill him," Dango growled, standing over Shisui. The other Root operative was knocked out from blood loss he had already stopped.

For framing her, for Sai, for Naruto, for all his crimes against the Uchiha, for his murders, for his dark decisions, he deserved nothing more.

Waffles stepped back, her bloody paw the only thing left on his chest, but moved to sit on his mutated arm.

Danzo chuckled when she knelt on his chest with a curved knife under his chin. "You won't survive this. Leaf won't survive without me."

Her knife trembled. It wasn't even a kunai, like that made a difference. It was still going to murder him.

"You have festered long enough," Sakura whispered.

She felt something cold overcome her. She could finally feel the details of his chakra, see how tapped his body really was. Using Tsukuyomi had drained him too much.

He glared up at her, but there was still poise in his tone, like he didn't believe she would do it. "Then kill me and be done with it. Let Leaf burn above my grave. It will all be because of you, murderer."

She felt the bodies all around her stir. The ROOT operatives who weren't dead would soon rouse. She needed to be fast.

"I'm not a murderer, I'm a shinobi."

Her left arm opened and from the compartment in her fake arm a senbon coated in green winked in the moonlight. She pulled it and swung it like a sewing needle into his neck.

Danzo tensed as the toxins leaked into his blood from the wound. She watched his eye go wide and face pale. She closed up the compartment on her arm and clicked it shut as the councilman shook into a rigid recline. Waffles backed up too.

A moment later he went stiff.

"Is he dead?" Shisui asked, his voice a whisper.

Sakura still felt cold all over, like she had been somehow thrown far away from the anger that once burned her up inside. "No. He will live to see trial. I can't be a murder who plotted his murder if I bring him back like this. Not even the Hokage can pardon his actions after this."

"You're going to let him live."

Sakura glanced back at Shisui and then down at Danzo. "Not how I see it. I'm letting him suffer. That toxin doesn't have an antidote. It'll take days, maybe weeks for his old body to filter out. I won't kill him, but this will still be my justice."

Sakura turned on her heel and walked over to where Naruto was crying over Sai who looked sick with fever. Sakura pressed his mouth open and looked inside. The seal on his tongue was burning and then breaking up in parts before fading away.

"It's going to be fine, his body is in shock right now, but Sai is strong so he'll survive this." Sakura ruffled his hair and smiled at Naruto. "You saved me and you saved him."

"He-he-you were going to die. You still look like you're going to die. Sai said you were going to die but I didn't want to believe him."

Sakura hummed low. "He did. Then I guess you both saved my life together. I owe you one, kid."

Naruto crumpled into her arms with one fist still closed around Sai's wrist. Sakura gathered both boys up and tucked them close to her chest, not caring how they were older and too big to fit on her lap or anything like that.

In a few months they would all graduate together.

"Come on, let's drop this guy off and then go home."

Naruto sniffled into the shred of her shirt but nodded. She wiped his face clear with her wooden hand.

"Sakura," Dango whined from behind her.

She turned to look over her shoulder and saw Waffles standing at the edge of the clearing with something white and limp in her mouth. Her heart sunk.

"Chainsaw," she gasped as Waffles lowered the dog into her hands.

Naruto made room to let the dog take his place and gasped with new tears at the way the dog settled into her arms in barely held together pieces. There was a little blood, but the body was obviously broken. His muzzle was bloody like he had sunk his teeth into someone.

"Stupid dog, you're a sensor," Sakura whisper sobbed. "You're not supposed to do the fighting, just the finding. Stuu-upid." Her words caught on different sobs as she started to leak chakra through her hands into his body.

"No," Naruto cried.

It was barely a sound, but chainsaw whimpered and managed to force his tongue out to lick her bare thumb. Naruto choked on a gasp as the black lines from Sakura's seal stretched out over her arms and onto his body. Chainsaw whimpered louder as his body broke again and he was forced back together and then healed.

"I'm not losing any of my family tonight," Sakura whispered as the last of her energies seeped out of her.

The moon was a cut of a smile in the sky, shining down on them through the broken clouds, but they found their way down to the Hokage's mansion where Sakura proceeded to read Sarutobi the riot act for 'sending Danzo to kill her on her way home' or something like that.

Sarutobi denied it but Sakura didn't relent.

"You spared his life when you knew what sort of man he was to you and then to me, so this is your responsibility no matter how dirty. Either deal with him or start digging our graves," Sakura snarled with no room left in her voice for respect.

Waffles threw Danzo's limp body down and the guards beside Sarutobi flinched at the half open but mostly closed eyes on his arm as well as the state of his body.

"What has he done?" one of them asked.

"What have you let him do?" Sakura growled.

They were then all strong armed into the hospital and Sakura insisted with, threats and coercion finely honed from years of working the ghost hours at the hospital, to all be given one communal room.

Sakura slept with her dogs all under her bed, except for Waffles who wouldn't fit, and Chainsaw who stayed on her lap.

She woke up a week later.

* * *

Sakura ran a hand through her hair, or what was left of it. She reached for the damp cloth to wipe away any excess hair that stuck to her neck after the shaving. Her hair had been horrible looking after the fight and instead of working through it Sakura had decided to cut it all off.

The sides were shaved shorter than the top, but she could still see the places where her hair refused to hold color. Parts and patches would grow in white and she grimaced at what that might look like.

The door to the outside rolled open and Dango huffed in greeting, but Sakura didn't hear or see anything from where she was in the tiny bathroom. Still, she knew his chakra well enough by now.

"What did they say?" she asked without leaving the mirror.

"It's not going as smoothly as we would like, Danzo is playing the misunderstanding angle again. He's even offered to come apologize to you directly."

Sakura felt her fingers curl around the sink. "And how did he explain trying to take your eye?"

Shisui moved so she could see his reflection in the mirror behind her. He wore a silk eye patch over his injured eye, protecting it while it healed from the trauma of being nearly plucked out. They were still waiting to see if he would be able to use it the same way.

"He was real talkative about that bit, citing a lot of covert intelligence about my abilities. He claimed it was too much to leave unfettered or something like that. He freaked out when he saw me, supposedly.

"Sarutobi?" Sakura asked.

Shisui winced but didn't chastise her. "Hokage sama is unreadable at this time. He's asked for recess on the hearing until tomorrow. I think having you there might help."

Sakura sighed deep and then pushed away from the sink. The towel around her head fell down to her shoulder and she flung it back into the sink. She saw the moment her new haircut registered with the Uchiha but neither mentioned anything about it.

"It depends on the time. I promised I would help the boys out at the academy. Naruto has finally gotten a handle on creating shadow clones. I think telling him it was a forbidden technique helped more than anything."

"It was kind of the Hokage to part with his scroll for Naruto."

Sakura snorted. "Nice isn't the word I would use. He owes that kid a lot more than some dusty old scroll with basic clone techniques."

"Where are the brats now?"

"With your cousins. I'm on my way to pick them up now. I've been officially discharged."

Shisui smiled to himself. "Like that matters anything to you. I'm sure you could have forced yourself out whenever you wanted."

"Forced is a strong word. I'd just tell them and they would let me. It's the least they could do for all the extra work I've helped them with over the years."

"I'll walk you out then," Shisui said, pointing to the door.

Sakura hummed and then reached down to pick up Chainsaw and cradle him in her arms. His legs were all still healing so she left her flack jacket open wide enough for him to nestle there. He was bigger than he had been a year ago but he still fit. It was the only upside to small breasts in her opinion.

The rest of her pack stood and silently stalked behind her at a matching pace while Shisui fell into step beside her.

They were outside and halfway down the main road when he stopped to face her. Sakura took an extra step ahead of him before turning and looking back. Once he had her eye he bent low at the waist with his arms pressed to his sides.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Danzo's shit isn't for you to be apologizing for."

"No-not that. I mean what I said several days ago when you were, when I was trying to invite you to have dinner with me." He swallowed audibly. "I was rude."

Sakura could see it meant a lot to Shisui but didn't give it that much more thought. "You're fine, I don't even remember what you said so don't sweat it. Stand up already."

When he stood up his face was set and the unclothed eye was just as determined. "I want to try again."

"What?"

"I want to ask you to dinner. Please let me make you a dinner, or take you out. I want to-I would like to go out with you."

"Shisui I…" Sakura looked around her for something to save her. Her chest hurt and she felt her face flush. She didn't know what she was supposed to say to her friend.

"I know you don't like me, or you don't look at me like that right now. I understand you might even have feelings for someone else, but I would still like the chance to treat you out because I really like you and I think you deserve it."

"What do you mean someone I like-I don't-I-"

"It's fine," Shisui chuckled, face softening as he watched her fluster in the middle of the road. "I have always liked a Sakura who liked someone else, that's not going to change. I just want the chance to grow closer to you, maybe as friends even."

"You sound plenty confident," Sakura chuckled, feeling her chest flutter as her face stayed hot.

"I'm really not, but I am pretty desperate. It was in the back of my head the whole time, but then when Danzo attacked this thought that I hadn't done my best started to scream at me and I regretted how I treated you so childishly. Just because I didn't get my way I turned sour and what's worse, I didn't apologize about it but instead ignored you. I hated it and I didn't want to die like that." He paused watching her for a moment more. "When you showed up I didn't know if it was real or some horrible trick pulled straight out of my heart."

"I'm pretty sure I looked horrible, so it would have been a nightmare to see."

Shisui blushed and ducked his head, scratching at the base of his scalp. "Nah, I think you're always amazing no matter what. You're a badass."

Sakura snorted and clutched Chainsaw closer. He was huffing happily in content. "I think something is wrong with your remaining eye, Shisui Uchiha."

"I guess I need a medic who knows what she's doing to take a look at it. It needs to be someone I trust though."

"Funny." Sakura laughed again. "I guess I could do a dinner."

"Really!"

Her face still felt warm. "Don't act so surprised. It's not that big of a deal."

"It's a date!"

"O-oi, you said even as friends though!"

"It's a date between friends but it's still a date!" Shisui laughed, bouncing up and down. "I'm going to take you out. No! I'm going to cook for you, that way you can see how good of a house husband I can be."

"Hou-hou-husba-" Sakura spittered, feeling the heat intensify under her skin. "Husb-what?" She couldn't even speak.

Before she could form the words Shisui leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, then flicker stepped away, leaving nothing behind but his laughter to ring in her ears.

Sakura whimpered and then crumpled at the knees, holding her face in her hands while Dango chuckled along beside her.

"It's about time you got back out there."

"Shu-shu-shut up!"

* * *

Life imprisonment was too kind, but Sakura was appeased by the ruling because the gag order on her that kept her from talking about the true events was also a part of the punishment to be lost from Danzo.

Sakura didn't waste time tarnishing Danzo's good name, especially with the youth. Some elders and old folks didn't like hearing that one of the heroes they trusted and respected so much was so terrible a person and refused to believe the stories of child experiments and abductions. That pissed Sakura off, but she made herself content with the youth who were able to see right from wrong without so much bias.

Life almost returned to normal after that. Sakura wasn't sure what normal was, but things settled and tensions eased and that was good enough for her.

She even got used to the haircut, and the way it made her finally seem like an adult. She had never had her hair short, Kakashi played with it when it was long, but she had to admit it made some things easier for her. Also, Naruto thought it made her look more like one of her dogs, and coming from him that was a compliment.

"So yeah, I think I'll stay like this, Sensei."

Sakura stared down at the memorial stone and traced over the names almost too small to read. Too many friends had their names in stone, but she always felt the need to confess to Kakashi sensei instead of anyone else, even Tenzo.

She imagined Kakashi smiling down at her from wherever he sat and nodding along to her stories. He would have been so proud to hear about how she handled herself with Danzo. He would have laughed at how mad she got at the old people who thought Danzo should still be respected for all the good things he did. He would have pretended to ignore her after a while and then chuckle sheepishly when she yelled at him for it.

"The kids are still all brats though. I mean, I don't think that's going to change anytime soon but I thought at least that things would quiet down with time," Sakura sighed out loud. "Naruto never slows down and the dogs are just as bad. How did you do it, Kakashi sensei? How did you manage it all?"

Sakura held back all the other things she wanted to say as a new presence came into the clearing. The ANBU guards flickered away and Sarutobi walked up the rest of the way to stand beside her.

"He dealt with it the same way you will deal with it. He took things one day at a time."

"Is that the secret to it all?" Sakura coyly inquired.

"You're not satisfied with the way things played out?" He hummed.

"I don't think it is in my nature to be so easily sated, sir. I'm still eager to do more."

"It is alright to be pleased with your work every once and awhile. I hear Torune Aburame is making some progress in reintegrating to the clan. Shibi sends you his thanks for returning his nephew to the clan."

"I didn't do that bit," Sakura mumbled, ducking her head and going red behind the ears because of the praise. "He should have been free to go home much sooner."

Sarutobi grew quiet and a moment of stillness settled between then before he spoke again. "I understand your feelings. You care deeply for others to the point of it being painful. It's why you closed yourself off, after all. But we do not live in a world meant for peace, and every day is a day I wake up wondering if some great terror is there to darken our doorway. There are some measures you might not agree with that are necessary for survival."

Sakura felt her body coil in anger. She wanted to lash out but she held herself back. In front of the memorial stone where the dead were remembered, she had to listen to an old man try and make excuses for unparalleled evil.

Because while it was okay to expect such dark behaviors from an enemy, or another nation honed and ready for war, it was that much worse when the actions came from a village that professed peace and were the 'friendly ones,' after all.

"Hokage sama, there was a individual in ROOT, I think he was named Yamato. What happened to him?"

Sarutobi hummed and looked up, stroking his beard. "I don't see any harm in saying he's safe and working in my direct service this time. You might see him around, you might not, it depends on how good he is at his job."

"So he's back in ANBU."

He smiled at her slyly. "I wouldn't tell you that."

"It's not like I needed to see him for anything, I was just curious. He looked just like Tenzo but older and I thought I heard they might have been twins or brothers. It doesn't matter to me at the end of the day, but I'm glad to hear he's working all right."

"There you go with that big heart of yours. I knew you still had it in you."

"Is that why I'm being groomed for sensei duty?"

"Why, I believe Sakura Sensei has a nice ring to it, don't you?"

Sakura groaned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm already the caretaker to those two. Who do you think you'll give me to make it a three man team? Sasuke or Kiba?"

"Did you hear the Aburame requested you too?" Sarutobi's eyes were alight with a mischievous gleam. "These clan heads can be annoying when they all clatter for the same thing, but I'm afraid I will have to sow my good favor with the Uchiha in this case so there might be a harvest to reap."

It took a moment before Sakura caught his subtle meaning. "You plan on taking Itachi on as an apprentice?"

"I've heard some people think I am too old for the job."

Sakura held back a snort but she didn't hold it back well enough for him to miss it. Sarutobi eyed her critically before loudly huffing.

"It is time someone with the ideals of a pacifist take my place. Let us see what he can bring about in the years to come. Some might not like having an Uchiha as Hokage."

"There will always be stupid people that believe stupid things," Sakura mumbled. Her thoughts drifted back to the old folks who still believed in Danzo. It was frustrating how stubborn and stupid they were.

"Itachi will do well. He has a strong clan to back him and plenty of good favor from all the people he has worked with. It is hard not to appreciate him."

"Sasuke will be proud. So, speaking of kids, when do they graduate?"

"If they pass?"

"They're going to pass. What's the date for that?"

He laughed and the forest around them seemed to shudder with the sound. "Ah, it is soon enough. You have a couple of months yet to brace for the lifestyle change."

"It-it won't be that much different."

Sarutobi laughed again and pulled out his pipe from inside his robe. It was not lit but he rested it on his lips just as well. He eyed her slyly. "You keep telling yourself that, dear."

* * *

Sakura woke up in the night, reaching for Waffle's fur, only to find empty air. She hadn't woken from a nightmare, and she seemed fine, but there was a tickle in her brain that told her she needed to be alert.

She heard a shaky inhale and turned to look at the doorway. Sai's silhouette stood in the doorway, and she could just make out the trails down his face, reflecting silver moonlight.

It wasn't unusual for Naruto to have nightmares and cry, but the dogs almost always calmed him down and it wasn't a big deal. Sai never cried. Even when he was hurt, Sakura had never seen him cry.

"Sai, baby, what's wrong?" She asked.

Sakura crawled over to the edge of the bed on her hand and knees, having left her prosthetic in the box for sleep. She sat at the edge of the bed and held out her hand for him.

Sai took one shaky step and then another. One after the other, like each lift of his leg pained him. Eventually he was close enough to reach and she tugged him over to her bed so that he stood between her knees and was level with her eyes.

"Sai, honey," Sakura called out in a softer tone. She spoke to him in near whisper volume, instinctively knowing and acting on what she thought he needed to hear. "What's wrong?"

"There's no one anymore. I don't know what to do."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, even as her suspicions grew.

"There are no more orders. I don't know what to do. What am I supposed to do now when no one needs me?" he asked in a voice that sounded more broken than any child's voice has a right to. It made her chest hurt to hear him speak like that.

"You mean you're not getting any more orders from ROOT, right?" Sai nodded and Sakura exhaled. "They raised you. It has to be hard to not have them anymore, but you are not alone. You hear me, honey, you are not alone."

"Naruto doesn't understand."

"Understand what?"

"I lost them. I don't have orders anymore and Naruto is my friend, but he isn't going to tell me what to do. He's never lost like this."

"What...do you want to do? You are free to choose anything you want now."

"I don't want to!" Sai snapped. He was shaking with emotion now. "I don't want to have to choose anything. I don't want to do that. I just, I want someone to tell me what to do. It's gone. They're all gone and I'm….I'm still here…."

Sakura felt terrible as she tugged the small child closer. He was thin and frail and barely a twelve year old but he looked far too lost. Someone that he had always identified with and drawn support and direction from had been taken from him. Sakura didn't regret what she did with Danzo or the fall of ROOT, but her heart broke for Sai.

"Listen, Sai. I am the one who took away the man who gave you orders. I am responsible for all the pain you are feeling right now. Blame me if you have to. But I took his place in your life for a reason. I'm your guardian now, and one day I might be your sensei who gives you orders into battle. I hope I am, one day, because my orders are simple and clear. Do you want to know what they are?"

Sai nodded but didn't speak.

Sakura raised a finger. "First, those who break the rules and don't complete the mission are trash. You should always try your best to complete the mission, but those who abandon their friends and teammates are worse than trash."

 _"Sakura chan, while those who break the rules of the ninja world are trash, those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."_  Kakashi's voice in her brain rolled like a sweet memory, even years later.

"You must carve these words on your heart, Sai, because theses are the words I live by, along with all those under me."

"You want me to-you still want me?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes. I'll still give you orders though, even if you don't want to. All you need to do is graduate the academy with Naruto and Sasuke. Then I will be your sensei."

"Sensei."

Sakura didn't hate the way it sounded when Sai said it.

"Yeah….I-I guess so," Sakura muttered, looking away and blushing.

She heard a scuffle in the doorway and looked up to see Mop and Souta. One of Mop's eyes had been too badly damaged in the last fight so he wore a black silk eye patch over it until the stitches healed. He claimed he liked the way it made him look cool and asked Sakura if she would let him keep it, even after the stitches healed.

Souta whined low and made room for Naruto to stumble in with Chainsaw curled up in his arms. The smaller dog's head rested on Naruto's shoulder.

"Naruto?" Sakura called out. She was worried he had woken from a nightmare as well. "What's wrong?"

"I heard you guys," he yawned.

He stumbled the rest of the way into the room and then helped himself to the bed, climbing to the middle of it and collapsing there. Chainsaw woke, yawned, and then got up out of Naruto's arms to curl up into a ball behind his bent knees.

"Hey, this isn't your bed," Sakura chuckled. She reached for Naruto and felt his face with a bit of chakra. He was fine. His chakra was docile and he seemed at peace. No sign of nightmares.

"He's not going to leave. I guess you have to sleep on the couch now," Dango chuckled, trotting into the room and laying his head on the edge of her mattress. His scars were all healed and he looked no worse than he had before the fight.

"Quit chuckling at me. Move over Sai, we're going to make a Naruto sandwich."

Sakura awkwardly turned around and tugged at the back of Sai's shirt to guide him to a place on the bed behind Naruto. With one hand she then waved to the rest of the dogs who whined eagerly. As soon as they saw the signal they scattered to take up places on the mattress around the boys and Sakura.

"Looks familiar," Dango chuckled. He reached out and licked the side of Sai's face when he saw the boy start to stirr. "Settle now, pups. Time for rest. No more nightmares."

Sakura laid down around the boys and watched them all breath easily. Sai soon drifted off to sleep along with the rest of her pack. Before she followed them down into a dreamless slumber she felt a pang in her heart.

How many times had her pack curled up around her at night to chase away nightmares? She was glad they were doing the same for the boys.

* * *

Several months later

"A bell test? What do you mean, Sakura chan? I thought we already became ninjas with these headbands," Naruto whined.

Sakura reached out and flicked his nose. "Sensei! Sakura sensei. I got a jacket to prove it an everything, so remember better."

Naruto huffed but rubbed his nose and nodded along. "Yeah, yeah, old lady."

"What was that?" Sakura bellowed. Behind her Waffles howled and the sound made Naruto shiver down to his bones as he scrambled to hide behind Sai.

"Sensei! Sakura sensei! Sorry, sorry, I'm sorry!"

Sakura crossed her arms and looked over the trio. "That's what I thought. Listen up you brats. You all did a great job and passed your academy exams. You're ninja of the village, but that could change depending on how well you do with my entrance exam."

"You have an additional entrance exam?" Sasuke asked, an eager glint in his eyes as he steeled himself for whatever she would say next.

Sasuke had been overly eager to prove himself to her and stand out, since he was the only one who didn't live with her. He had complained about it to the other boys how it wasn't fair that they got extra help at home, but Sai pointed out that Sasuke was the only one with a brother who was going to be Hokage.

Sasuke had only thrown his hands up and then started to complain about how Itachi never had any time for him at home and Shisui was too annoying to work with.

"Of course. I'm a pretty big deal to have as a sensei, so I can chose to send you all back to the academy if I don't think you can work under me. To prove you have what it takes, you will be taking the bell test!"

Sakura pulled a pair of bells out from her back pocket and turned them around on her fingers.

"Is it a retrieval mission?" Sai asked, eyes narrowed keenly.

"Good guess. That's sort of the easiest way to explain it. I've got these bells you need to steal from me before the gong rings at noon. This is what my sensei had us do before and after being deployed during war times. Back then there was no way he was going to not take us-the village needed bodies in a war, but we almost failed the first time, regardless."

"Wasn't your sensei super powerful?" Naruto asked.

"He was," Sakura said, closing her eyes and nodding. "But he was also very wise and he taught me how to be a ninja with a ninja way. I am going to tell it to you now and then you are going to try your best to take these bells from me. Understand?"

"Yes!" All three cheered together.

Sakura caught Sai's eye and grinned. She raised a single finger.

"First, those who break the rules and don't complete the mission are trash. You should always try your best to complete the mission, but those who abandon their friends and teammates are worse than trash."

The dogs barked all around her.

"Now, go to it!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN:/ Done.
> 
> I like how this finished. I mean to say, I am satisfied with how this story ended. It got a little gory there, but no one died this time, and everyone got to see a happy almost ending. Shisui got his date, and knowing Sakura's tendency to fall for dorks, that'll probably go well even if Itachi thinks they are mismatched and ill suited to each other. I feel like I might need to write a bonus chapter about little Itachi getting upset. 
> 
> 'He's too much of an idiot to be with Sakura.'
> 
> Iruka hummed knowingly. 'Yeah, she' much better suited to being with a guy who's on track to being Hokage or something, huh?'
> 
> Itachi blushed red all over but didn't waver as he answered with a strong, 'Maybe so!'
> 
> Yamato and Itachi end up being friends partly because of how much Shisui dislikes the ANBU operative who looks like his girlfriend's dead lover. Itachi knows better but Shisui is petty and frets too much to not be cute. Anytime they have a minor argument Shisui cries about how she's going to leave him and live in the forest with the 'wood man.'
> 
> I really loved this story and I'm sad to see it end, but I'm glad it's so well finished. UTRM was started on a lark and I'm struggling to figure our how to continue it to its end, but with this story I always knew. I'm glad with how it all went and I hope you enjoyed it too!
> 
> Feel free to leave me a review and tell me what you thought. Was there something I missed in the wrap up? Was there something else you wanted to see?
> 
> *But please don't leave mean, constructive critiques and asshole comments like 'lol is it finally over' because that just does nothing for anyone.*

**Author's Note:**

> AN:/ A story about loss and about what we do when we're left to pick up the pieces from said loss. Originally posted on FF.Net
> 
> This was a fun little break from the usual projects that I needed to work onto just give my brain a break from other stuff. But more than anything, it's wish fulfillment by giving Sakura a bunch of dogs. I just really wanted to give Sakura dogs because dogs are great. That and I just go kinda caught up in the idea of Sakura taking Kakashi's place and what would that look like, she's got the pack, she's got something added to her body from a precious person, she's got the issues...there you go, another Kakashi.
> 
> There is no pairing designated to this story at this time, but of course, if you know me, there will be hints and parts where you can see pining and the occasional flashback to when Sakura was happier. But mostly this is about Sakura and her little friends.
> 
> Sakura's Pack!
> 
> Mop- Irish Wolfhound He's the teeth of the pack  
> Souta - Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound) He's the speed of the pack  
> Dango- Doberman pinscher- He's the voice of the pack  
> Chainsaw- Jack Russell Terrier He's the sensor of the pack (and the baby)  
> Waffles- Wolf She's the terror and the stealth of the pack


End file.
